Panasonic validates cockpit virtualisation on Google Cloud

Panasonic Automotive has validated its vSkipGen cockpit virtualisation platform on Google Cloud's C4A-metal servers, focusing on software development for in-car cockpit systems.

The set-up is aimed at vehicle makers building software-defined vehicles, where cockpit domain controllers are increasingly becoming the main computing systems for in-cabin displays and functions.

Panasonic Automotive's vSkipGen lets developers build, test and validate cockpit software in the cloud rather than relying solely on physical prototype hardware. It supports Android Automotive OS and Android SDV, and is intended to mirror the behaviour of software running on in-vehicle cockpit hardware.

Google Cloud's C4A-metal is a bare-metal server offering based on its Arm-based Axion architecture. According to Google Cloud, the configuration includes 96 vCPUs, memory options of 384GB and 768GB, networking bandwidth of up to 100Gbps, and support for Hyperdisk storage types.

Hardware shift

The arrangement reflects a wider shift in the automotive sector as manufacturers try to move more software development away from scarce, expensive physical test rigs. Digital twin systems are being used to simulate cockpit hardware, allowing engineering teams to run development and validation work earlier in the vehicle design process.

Panasonic Automotive describes vSkipGen as a digital twin for physical cockpit domain controller hardware. To create a hardware-agnostic environment for Android virtual machines, it uses components from Android Cuttlefish, the virtual device platform for Android development and testing.

At its core is a virtual machine monitor built on crosvm, with Linux KVM providing hardware-assisted virtualisation. The back-end is implemented in Rust, and the system virtualises peripherals including audio, graphics processing, sensors, cameras, Controller Area Network, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi using the VirtIO standard.

This is intended to let software teams interact with virtual devices in the same way they would with physical hardware. The platform can also connect with automotive simulators and software-in-the-loop environments, allowing teams to run scenario testing and automated validation without early access to production hardware.

Graphics challenge

One of the main technical issues in cloud-based cockpit development is graphics rendering, particularly for modern in-car interfaces that rely on complex visual systems across multiple displays. Panasonic Automotive says its Unified HMI technology addresses this by separating human-machine interface rendering from the virtual machine itself.

Under this set-up, OpenGL ES commands are offloaded from the Cuttlefish instance to GPU-equipped compute resources on Google Cloud. The rendered interface is then streamed to a web browser using WebRTC, giving distributed development teams access to high-fidelity visuals in real time.

Unified HMI is also designed to create a common virtual display layer across multiple electronic control units and virtual machines. This allows applications to render to different displays across a cockpit system from different points in the architecture.

For automotive manufacturers, the practical effect is the ability to build and validate full Android Automotive OS software stacks before physical cockpit hardware is available. The system can also support multiple isolated cockpit domain controller instances in parallel, which is relevant for automated testing and continuous integration workflows.

Andrew Poliak, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Automotive Systems America, said the infrastructure reduces reliance on physical prototypes.

"Google Cloud's Axion Bare Metal has been a game-changer for our vSkipGen platform. By providing scalable, high-performance Arm-based infrastructure, C4A-metal allows our teams to develop and test production-intent software in the cloud with behavior that closely matches target automotive hardware. This cloud-to-car bit parity reduces dependence on costly physical prototypes, improves validation efficiency, increases test coverage and accelerates time-to-market for next-generation cockpit platforms," said Poliak.

The companies said the model could reduce both development costs and the environmental impact associated with repeated hardware prototyping. They also pointed to the use of open technologies including crosvm, Rust and VirtIO as part of a software stack intended to remain portable across different stages of vehicle development.

C4A-metal is available globally through Google Cloud's bare-metal portfolio, and Panasonic Automotive said vSkipGen with Unified HMI for Google Cloud will be available for evaluation access.