Get Started with Automotive Software Tools

For automotive embedded-software development, you need the right tools that comply with safety and security standards to evaluate, prototype, and test your software. This introduction to Arm software tools can help you get the most out of hardware based on Arm Cortex-A, Cortex-R, and Cortex-M.

Compilers and Libraries

A C/C++ embedded toolchain that’s ISO 26262 qualified to develop safety projects with confidence. It helps boost the performance, code density, architectural accuracy, and safety of your bare-metal, AUTOSAR, and real-time OS applications.

 

Aligns with Four Safety Standards:
  • IEC 61508 (Industrial) – SIL 3
  • ISO 26262 (Automotive) – ASIL D
  • EN 50128 (Railways) – SIL 4
  • IEC 62304 (Medical) – Class C
Used to Develop:
  • An ASIL D, FuSa Certified C Library
  • Arm Software Test Libraries (STLs) for safety-ready Arm cores
  • Open-Source CMSIS library for Arm Cortex-M
Supported by the Ecosystem

The Arm Compiler for Embedded FuSa is compatible with a variety of our ecosystem solutions:

  • Classic AUTOSAR (from Vector, Elektrobit, ETAS or others) or other real-time operating systems.
  • Code generators, including MATLAB Simulink, and libraries (for example DSP libraries).
  • TinyML implementations.

There are other ecosystem toolchains available for your safety development, such as tools from GreenHills, IAR, Tasking, HighTec, and more. Learn more from our Partner Ecosystem Catalog.

Download Arm Compiler

Usage Guides and Support

Release Notes for Arm Compiler for Embedded FuSa 6.16.2 15 min Release notes sharing that the compiler’s qualified for safety-related development.
     
Arm Compiler for Embedded FuSa 6.16LTS Documentation Index 4 min Documentation containing release notes, user guides, migration guides, and reports.
     
What Compiler can you use with your License? 2 min Article on what compiler the license enables, the differences between the licenses, and the available compilers.

Software Components

Test, scale, and reuse code that supports ISO 26262 standards, and more. The software learning curve is getting steeper, but using a standardized framework helps streamline your development process, ultimately accelerating time to market, safely. Arm's vast ecosystem and open collaboration between OEMs, automotive suppliers, tool vendors, and third-party solutions optimized for Arm, also help ensure developers receive long-term support, and achieve optimized code performance and industry standards compliance.

 

CMSIS: The Tool to Simplify Software Reuse

Publicly developed, CMSIS enables consistent device support and simple software interfaces to the processor and its peripherals. This helps simplify software reuse, reduce the learning curve for microcontroller developers, and accelerate time to market for new devices.

Download CMSIS

Arm STL: The Tool to Help Accelerate Safety Compliance

Quickly and easily scale test functions across multiple CPU systems with Arm Software Test Libraries (STL). Get boot time diagnostics, maximum diagnostic coverage, faster execution to ease vehicle functional safety checks, and much more. Supported by Arm experts whenever necessary.

Download Arm STL
Usage Guides and Support
CMSIS Documentation NA Documentation introducing CMSIS, the components, coding rules, and more.
     
Which CMSIS Components Should I Care About? 10 min Blog sharing an overview of the recommended CMSIS components to use with helpful additional resources.
     
Guidance about Software Test Libraries 60 min Learning Path to import and build an example project, debug the example code running on an Arm Fixed Virtual Platform, and debug the example code running on a board with a DSTREAM debug probe.
     
Software Defined Vehicles for Dummies 60 min Guide to understand the effects SDVs already have on the industry and new approaches to accelerate development.

Debuggers and IDE Toolkits

Are you spending hours of engineering time trying to identify the issue with your code? Your debugger can offer assurance during SoC bring-up activities, such as emulation, simulation, FPGA, or real silicon bring-up. Plus, it can help you find hotspots and compute bottlenecks in the system.

 

C/C++ Embedded Development Tool Suite 
  • Arm Compiler for Embedded 6 for compiling bare-metal embedded applications. Includes support for the latest Arm architectures.
  • Arm Compiler for Embedded FuSa to accelerate the building of safety-critical code and to help simplify the TÜV SÜD certification process.
  • Complete library of reference fixed virtual platforms (FVPs), along with pre-built examples.
  • Arm Streamline Performance Analyzer to view the performance of your entire system and generate easy-to-interpret visualizations.
Download Arm Development Studio
Usage Guides and Support
Specifications of Arm Development Studio 3 min Specifications for Arm Development Studio and relevant components, debug probes, and supported processor IP.
     
Getting Started Guide for Arm Development Studio 5.5 hrs Documentation that takes you through the processes of installing and licensing Arm Development Studio, and guides you through some common tasks for first-time use.
     
Getting Started Tutorial for Arm Development Studio  30 min Learning Path to import and build an example project, debug the example code running on an Arm Fixed Virtual Platform, and debug the example code running on a board with a DSTREAM debug probe.