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Schedule for Safety-Critical Software 2025 Now Live

By Announcement, Blog, Safety-Critical Software Summit

Open Source Summit North America, happening on June 23-25 in Denver, Colorado, is the premier event for open source developers, technologists, and community leaders to collaborate, share information, solve problems, and gain knowledge, furthering open source innovation and ensuring a sustainable open source ecosystem. It is the gathering place for open-source code and community contributors. One of the tracks includes, Safety-Critical Software, which will feature several ELISA-project related sessions.

The Safety-Critical Software track will take place on Wednesday, June 25. It explores the intersection of open source and safety standards, covering best practices for regulatory compliance, security updates, and safety engineering. Check out the sessions below, which dive into requirements traceability, quality assessments, safety analysis methodologies, and technical development for safety-critical systems.

11 – 11:40 am: The Xen Safety Concept, a Major Milestone Toward Certification – Stefano Stabellini, AMD

Over the past decade, the Xen community has worked tirelessly to develop key features that now form a top-tier automotive solution. Xen’s most important role remains that of an enforcer, ensuring strict isolation between domains so that the execution of one domain remains unaffected by others. As one of the system’s most critical components, Xen is well suited for the highest levels of safety certification.

Since 2023, AMD, in collaboration with the Xen community, has been working to make Xen safety-certifiable according to the ISO 26262 and IEC 61508 safety standards. A major milestone was achieved in Q4 2024 when we obtained Safety Concept Approval from the safety assessors. They reviewed Xen and our safety plans and confirmed compliance with the relevant standards. This is a critical milestone on the road to Xen safety, demonstrating that Xen can be safety-certified.

This presentation will provide detailed insights into the Safety Concept, the activities involved in its development, and the review process. Additionally, it will offer an in-depth update on our journey toward achieving Xen safety certification.

11:55-12:30 pm:  Verifying the Rust Standard Library – Rahul Kumar, Amazon Web Services

The Rust programming language is experiencing rapid adoption in critical infrastructure and systems programming, propelled by its memory safety guarantees and developer productivity advantages. Significant technology policies, such as the US National Cyber Strategy, explicitly endorse Rust as a pathway to memory-safe software. Unsafe code blocks, however, can circumvent Rust’s compile-time guarantees. To address this disparity, AWS has collaborated with the Rust Foundation on the Rust Standard Library Verification project, whose objective is to formally verify the safety of the Rust standard library. We are actively integrating automated verification into the Rust Library release process, thereby ensuring continuous safety validation across releases.

Our presentation will elucidate the structural framework and rationale underpinning our verification contest. We will demonstrate our current progress, showcasing successful verification examples and discussing the diverse open-source tools employed in the verification process. We will conclude with our prioritized areas for 2025 and practical ways for the Rust community to actively participate in this pivotal security initiative.

2:10 – 2:50 pm: Building a Safe and Open Vehicle Core With Open Source – Philipp Ahmann, Etas GmbH (BOSCH)
Recently the Safe Open Vehicle Core (S-Core) project was started as a collaborative code-first project between automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers developing a safety-certifiable middleware stack for high-performance ECUs in software-defined vehicles. Targeting the non-differentiating core functionality, S-Core middleware software sits between the hardware abstraction layer and the platform API accessed by vehicle function applications. Compatible with POSIX-based OSes like Automotive Grade Linux and complementary to the ELISA project, S-Core focuses on achieving ISO 26262, ASPICE, and ISO 21434 compliance.

This presentation details S-Core’s development process, scope, status, and timeline, highlighting its integration within the broader automotive safety and SDV landscape. The author further showcases the project’s work towards robust and automated development through a docs-as-code approach utilizing open-source tools such as ReStructuredText, Sphinx-Needs, Bazel, and PlantUML

 

3:05 – 3:45 pm: Software Supply Chain for the SDV Future — Logistics, Cybersecurity and Compliance – Hasan Yasar, Software Engineering Institute | Carnegie Mellon University

The shift towards software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is set to profoundly impact Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and their supply chains. As vehicles become increasingly defined by software and connectivity, OEMs face a new era of software supply chain logistics that emphasizes agility, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. This presentation examines how SDV technology affects each stage of the OEM supply chain, from sourcing and logistics to manufacturing and data-driven optimization. Critical to this transformation is the secure management of software and data flows across the supply chain, with a focus on cybersecurity strategies to counter software-based vulnerabilities. Additionally, the presentation explores how data analytics can be leveraged to streamline logistics and ensure compliance with rapidly evolving regulations.
4:20 – 5 pm: Continuous Compliance in Open Source: Safety Assurance Through SBOM-Driven Traceability in ELISA – Rinat Shagisultanov & Troy Sabin, InfoMagnus, LLC
As open-source adoption expands into safety-critical domains, ensuring continuous compliance is a growing challenge. This session, grounded in the ELISA (Enabling Linux in Safety Applications) project, explores how SBOM-driven traceability can bridge the gap between open-source development and regulatory safety requirements. We’ll cover how SPDX 3.x, automated CI/CD workflows, and tools like ELISA’s BASIL enable traceability between compliance requirements, validation tests, and software components. Attendees will gain insights into best practices for managing SBOM evolution, mitigating risks in change impact analysis, and integrating compliance automation into modern DevOps pipelines. Whether you’re in open-source governance or safety-critical software engineering, this session provides actionable strategies to align compliance with innovation.

Other ELISA-related sessions include:

 

Monday, June 23 at 3:35-4:15: Documenting the Design of the Linux Kernel – Chuck Wolber, The Boeing Company; Kate Stewart, The Linux Foundaiton; Gabriele Paoloni, Red Hat

As part of a broader effort to document the architecture and design of the Linux Kernel, we propose a method to formally describe low level developer intent in the form of testable expectations (i.e. requirements). This will provide a fact based foundation for pass/fail test development, test validation via code coverage tools, support optional traceability to higher level design, and enable tool development for process automation.

This talk is a continuation of the proposal for Linux Kernel Requirements that formally originated at the 2024 Linux Plumbers Safe Systems with Linux Mini-conference, and further updated at the December 2024 ELISA Workshop at Goddard Space Center.

This edition will present the current state of the requirement template design, provide examples of Linux kernel source code instrumented with low level requirements, present technical explanations for template design decisions, and provide an opportunity for feedback from the developer community.

 

Monday, June 23 at 2:25 – 3:05 pm: Panel Discussion: Driving Automotive Transformation With Open Source – Philipp Ahmann, Etas GmbH (BOSCH); Kate Stewart, The Linux Foundation; Masato Endo, Toyota Motor Corporation; Wolfgang Gehring, Mercedes Benz Tech Innovation

 

Open source software has long been utilized in automotive systems, yet the industry is experiencing a renewed focus on its strategic utilization also sparked by the so called Software Defined Vehicle. The establishment of OSPOs across numerous OEMs and Tier suppliers further signals this shift.

This panel digs into the motivations and implications of this trend. The panelist will explore the historical context of OSS in automotive, contrasting it with the current OSPO-driven approach. Key discussion points include the rationale for OSPO creation, the specific challenges they tackle – particularly in light of global sanctions, increasing connectivity demands, and the imperative for cyber resilience – and the anticipated impact on the automotive software landscape with regulated safety-critical Software Defined Vehicle systems.

Learn more about the conference on the main event site here or register by April 7 for the early bird discount here.

F Prime and Linux

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Working Group

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Michael Starch, Flight Software Engineer at NASA, gave a presentation, “F Prime and Linux.”

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory. Or, learn more about the next ELISA Workshop, happening in Lund, Sweden on May 7-9. Register here.

Additional Resources:

Containerization in Space Podman for Mission Critical Operations and Resilience (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Dan Walsh, Senior Distinguished Engineer, and Douglas Schilling Landgraf, Senior Software Engineer, at Red Hat, gave a presentation, “Containerization in Space Podman for Mission Critical Operations and Resilience.”

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Space Grade Linux Survey Results

By Blog, Space Grade Linux

The Space Grade Linux Special Interest Group addresses the challenges of space, which often includes a long lifespan for robotic or human-based missions. From development to deployment there are multiple considerations that need to be considered. Hosted under the ELISA Project, the new SIG is a step towards creating an ecosystem of supported platforms and a collaborative community.  Kate Stewart, Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems, and Ramon Roche, General Manager of Dronecode Foundation, at the Linux Foundation presented survey results in the last ELISA Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10-12, 2024.  The survey showcased feedback about Linux in Space with the target of recruiting more members.

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

ELISA Project Achievements and Updates

By Blog, Working Group

Written by Gabriele Paoloni, ELISA Project Governing Board Chair, and Philipp Ahmann, ELISA Project TSC Chair

The ELISA community held its annual project updates virtually on February 12 – 13, 2025, bringing together members and newcomers. Working group leaders shared their 2024 accomplishments, challenges, and collaborative opportunities for 2025. All videos can be found on the ELISA Project Youtube Channel in the Annual Update Playlist.

2024: A Year of Significant Progress

There was substantial progress for ELISA including: 

  • The Aerospace Working Group significantly advanced the adoption of Linux in safety-critical aerospace applications, presenting successful sessions at the Linux Plumbers Conference that led to the formation of the Space Grade Linux initiative at a NASA-hosted ELISA workshop. 
  • Meanwhile, the System Working Group impressed at Embedded World with a demo of reproducible heterogeneous software composition. 
  • The Medical Device Working Group completed its STPA analysis for the Open APS use case and is now searching for a new project. 
  • The Tool Working Group released initial versions of several key tools (Basil, KS-Nav, llvm-cov, and DeltaKernel).
  • The Safety Architecture Working Group improved Linux Kernel documentation based on safety standards, presenting their findings at Linux Plumbers 2024 and subsequently developing a template for Linux Kernel Requirements. 
  • The Linux Features for Safety-Critical Systems working group completed investigations about the minimal Linux Kernel configuration and focused on the minimal set Kernel features required to support a safety application (the main goal being to figure out the Kernel subsystems and drivers to prioritize for safety activities).
  • The Open Source Engineering Process Working Group focused on best practices for safety-critical FOSS contributions, analyzing the factors that could impact the safety strategy associated with the use of Linux and finally it defined an approach for publishing peer-review material developed by the different working groups.

2025: Collaborative Goals and Technical Advancements

The ELISA Project 2025 vision centers on coordinating working groups towards shared technical and community goals including: 

  • The Automotive Working Group will define a use case and collaborate with the Eclipse SDV project. 
  • The Aerospace Working Group will partner with the Architecture Working Group on Kernel requirements for a Cabin Lighting use case.
  • The Architecture Working Group will upstream initial requirements and a management framework to the Linux Kernel, establishing a community baseline before collaborating on further requirements definition. 
  • The Linux Features for Safety-Critical Systems Working Group will define requirements and analyze key drivers and subsystems for safety applications. 
  • The Open Source Engineering Process Working Group will continue defining best methodologies, including developing processes for documentation review and publishing, and a supply chain responsibilities model. 
  • The Tool Working Group will experiment with its tools across software lifecycle phases. 
  • The System Working Group will launch the “Good Practices in Open Source” specification/standard and extend its development platform to new ARM-based hardware. Collaboration with the Kernel-CI project will also allow for the evaluation of existing Kernel tests and their mapping to Kernel specifications and requirements.

Looking Ahead and Invitation to Participate

The achievements of 2024 provide a strong foundation for the ambitious goals set for 2025. We are excited about the collaborative opportunities ahead and the potential impact of the work on the safety and reliability of open-source systems in critical sectors. We encourage anyone interested in contributing to these efforts to join the ELISA community. Your expertise and dedication can significantly advance our progress toward a safer and more reliable open-source ecosystem. Visit https://elisa.tech/ to learn more and get involved.

Finally ELISA should also consider the evaluation of the currently available Kernel tests, in collaboration with the Kernel-CI project, and the respective mapping to the Kernel specifications and requirements.

ELISA Project Resources:

Building an OSS Ecosystem for Space (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Tim Bird, Principal Software Engineer at Sony Electronics, gave a presentation, “Building an Open Source Software Ecosystem for Space.”

In this presentation, Tim presents real-time requirements for Linux in space operation. Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Space ROS (Video)

By Blog, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Ivan Perez, Principal Research Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, gave a presentation, “Space ROS.” In this presentation, he offered an overview of Space ROS, an open source framework for developing flight-quality robotic and autonomous space systems. Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

ELISA Project and Linux Foundation Community Shine at FOSDEM 2025

By Ambassadors, Blog, Critical Software Summit, Industry Conference

Written by Ramon Roche, Dronecode Foundation General Manager and member of Space Grade Linux

Members and collaborators from the ELISA Project and the broader Linux Foundation community were excited to participate in FOSDEM 2025, joining thousands of open source enthusiasts in Brussels for a weekend dedicated to advancing open technology. For those who haven’t yet experienced FOSDEM, it’s difficult to put into words the vibrant, inclusive atmosphere of this registration-free event—it’s something you genuinely have to see and feel for yourself. Imagine developers buzzing between the historic buildings of the Université libre de Bruxelles, eagerly attending talks, sharing ideas, and forging connections over their shared passion for innovation. FOSDEM is more than just a conference; it’s a celebration of open-source collaboration and a testament to the power of community-driven technology.

“FOSDEM is more than just a conference—it’s a cornerstone of the open source world. From discovering new projects in various fields like open source scorecards and NGO-focused CRMs to engaging in critical discussions around the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act, FOSDEM offers unmatched opportunities for learning and collaboration. The hallway track, packed sessions, and the growing interest in AI and open hardware all underscore its role as a vital hub for innovation and community building. It’s where the open source ecosystem thrives, connects, and evolves.”

— Philipp Ahmann, Sr. OSS Community Manager at ETAS GmbH

Exhibits from Sponsors

One of the highlights of FOSDEM 2025 was the lively exhibit area, where attendees flocked to engage with some of the most influential projects and foundations in the open-source ecosystem. The halls were abuzz with energy, making it nearly impossible to walk through without getting swept up in the excitement! Zephyr RTOS had a standout presence among the many exhibits, drawing attention with its innovative real-time operating system solutions. Members of the ELISA community were also actively involved throughout the exhibits, connecting with attendees and sharing insights on safety-critical systems and open-source collaboration.

The FOSDEM community’s love for swag was on full display, with attendees proudly sporting T-shirts, stickers, and other goodies collected from various booths. A major crowd favorite was the Linux Foundation Europe booth, which attracted a steady stream of visitors with its impressive lineup of CNCF project merchandise and exclusive discounts on Linux Foundation training and certifications available only to FOSDEM attendees. The vibrant atmosphere and enthusiasm around the exhibits perfectly captured the spirit of innovation and community that defines FOSDEM.

 

 

Kate Stewart’s Zephyr Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time Presentation

Another highlight of FOSDEM 2025 was Kate Stewart’s talk titled Zephyr: Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time, where she shared insights into how Zephyr RTOS has evolved into a robust and widely adopted platform, now surpassing 100,000 commits in its main repository. Drawing on lessons from the Linux Kernel Community, she emphasized the importance of embedding best practices early on to ensure long-term sustainability and scalability. A key focus of her leadership has been security, which was integrated from the start rather than treated as an afterthought. With Zephyr advancing toward formal safety certification, Stewart’s vision continues to drive the project forward, solidifying its position as a trusted solution for embedded systems and safety-critical applications. Her meticulous attention to governance, security, and collaboration has been instrumental in taking Zephyr to new heights.

Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) devroom

The SBOM devroom at FOSDEM 2025 was a focal point for discussions on the growing importance of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) in ensuring transparency and security across the open-source ecosystem. A standout session was Luigi Pellecchia’s talk on BASIL, an innovative open-source tool designed to simplify the creation and maintenance of traceability matrices for safety-critical applications. Pellecchia demonstrated how BASIL leverages the Software Package Data Exchange (SPDX) standard to integrate quality-related work items into SBOMs, enhancing consistency and reliability across complex toolchains. His presentation highlighted the critical role of SBOMs in fostering trust and compliance, making it clear that tools like BASIL are essential for modern software development workflows. The devroom’s sessions collectively underscored the value of SBOMs in building secure and sustainable software supply chains.

Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom

The Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom at FOSDEM 2025 was a hub of innovation, bringing together a vibrant community of developers and enthusiasts to explore the latest in open-source technologies. The program was packed with engaging talks, covering everything from CubeSat communication systems and general-purpose humanoid robotics with dora-rs to dual A/B update solutions for embedded Linux. Standout sessions included Thibault Poncelet’s deep dive into automotive communication systems with Reverse Engineering CAN Communication and Building ECUs Using Elixir and the BEAM, and Florian Limberger’s exploration of Bluetooth Low Energy applications in Developing BLE Host Applications with Zephyr. Attendees also got a closer look at the integration of MicroPython in embedded systems and enjoyed a lively update on the Zephyr RTOS during its dedicated roasting party. With a full house for nearly every session, the devroom highlighted the rapid advancements in embedded technologies and the critical role of open-source collaboration in shaping the future of the industry.

“FOSDEM is one of the most important open-source gatherings in the world, and this year was no exception,” said Walt Miner, AGL Community Manager at the Linux Foundation, devroom co-chair.  “I came to host the Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom, as well as the Automotive BoF, but it’s also the best place to connect with a wide variety of experts across countless projects. What makes FOSDEM so special is its diversity—it’s not tied to a single project or technology, and every year brings new devrooms and discoveries. This year, I was excited to learn more about OpenPilot and meet some of the people using it.”

Miner continued, “In the Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom, Zephyr was a recurring theme, with so many great talks that we could easily justify a dedicated Zephyr devroom next year. The devroom was a huge success—our 210-seat room was packed for every session, and we had three times more talk submissions than we could accommodate. It’s inspiring to see such enthusiasm and expertise in the community, and I’m already looking forward to next year!”

“Expect the unexpected. At FOSDEM, you have the opportunity to see new topics and trends.”

– Jan-Simon Moeller

Featured Talks you should check out:

BASIL an open source tool that supports requirements traceability with design sBOM

Zephyr: Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time

Test and Assurance of Non-Volatile Memory Devices for Space (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Ted Wilcox, Radiation Effects Engineer at NASA, gave a presentation, “Test and Assurance of Non-Volatile Memory Devices for Space.”

In this presentation, Ted shard recent results from non-volatile memory device testing will be presented, along with assurance guidance, recommendations, and lessons learned that may provide context for the Space Grade Linux community.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

 

Linux Kernel Design Documentation (Video)

By Blog, Workshop

Kernel design documentation is not just an administrative task—it is essential for ensuring reliability, safety, and compliance in mission-critical systems. It serves as a foundation for certification, debugging, maintenance, and future improvements, ultimately reducing risk and increasing system dependability.

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speakers Gabriele Paoloni, Sr Principal Engineer and Open Source Community Technical Leader at Red Hat; Chuck Wolber and Kate Stewart, Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems at the Linux Foundation, gave a presentation, “Linux Kernel Design Documentation.”

The goals for this session were to:
A) Share the latest findings and ideas from the Safety Architecture WG towards the high level next steps discussed at Linux Plumbers Conference
B) Create more detailed next steps and respective forums

View the video below:

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations in person and virtual, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources: