Deterministic & Modular Architecture for Embedded Vehicle Systems

The next generation of Army ground vehicle systems aim to provide the warfighter with advanced capabilities while ensuring cyber resiliency. One key technology, Ethernet, has enabled the modernization of military ground vehicles by providing a broad range of beneficial features. The scalability and high bandwidth of an Ethernet based system provides the ability to process large volumes of sensor data with low latency, however its inherent lack of determinism represents a significant disadvantage. A deterministic network requires that communication assurance is provided through bounded message latency, and this is required for many ground vehicle weapon and crew stations functions. Traditional Ethernet based networks are unable to satisfy the strict safety and functional requirements for Army vehicle systems due to this lack of determinism. Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) initiatives such as the Ground Combat System Common Infrastructure Architecture (GCIA) seek to leverage open-standards such as Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) to achieve real-time, deterministic communication over Ethernet. TSN provides enhancements to regular Ethernet which enable logical segmentation of deterministic and traditional best-effort network traffic while simultaneously be transmitted on the same physical media.

This paper presents a reference architecture which incorporates key elements from GCIA, including TSN, and complements them with embedded virtualization technologies to enhance the safety and security of the system. The seL4 microkernel is used to deploy virtualized guests and containers on a target representative of an embedded platform for ground vehicle electronics, the ARMv8. By utilizing seL4 and virtualized guests a system designer can now combine the isolation provided by hypervisors with the logical segmentation provided by TSN to create a partitioned architecture that increases system assurance. Aspects of this architectural approach and technology have already been adapted across multiple programs within DEVCOM-GVSC.

Citation: Michael Doran, Mark Russell, Leonard Elliott, “Deterministic & Modular Architecture for Embedded Vehicle Systems” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 16-18, 2023.