
Rust port to ST’s Stellar microcontrollers for safer software defined vehicles

HighTec EDV-Systeme in Germany is supporting the use of the Rust language on Stellar microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics for safer software defined vehicle developments.
Using HighTec’s ISO26262 ASIL D Rust compiler on ST’s Stellar 28nm microcontrollers allows developers to integrate Rust along alongside the existing C/C++ code base into safety-critical projects to accelerate the development of safety-critical systems.
Rust contains provisions to protect the safety of memory, process threads, and data types. This provides resilience for critical automotive systems, while the runtime efficiency is comparable to C/C++ in execution time and memory usage. This significantly lowers the costs in both software development and maintenance.
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The Stellar microcontrollers use the ARM Cortex-R52+ real time cores with a safety-focused hardware architecture to achieve the ISO 26262 ASIL D certification. The devices also meet ISO 21434 cybersecurity standards and comply with UN155 requirements for safety and security standards.
The HighTec Rust compiler toolchain is built on the LLVM open-source compiler and allows a hybrid development of Rust code along with C/C++, enabling the transition to modern software architectures.
This is already available for Infineon’s Aurix TC4x microcontrollers which compete with the ST Stellar parts. HighTec also works closely with Vector on the
“Software-defined principles are transforming vehicle design, and ownership experiences, replacing traditional hardwired electronic control units (ECUs) with programmable systems,” said Davide Santo, Automotive Microcontroller Business Unit Director, STMicroelectronics. “This is the future for vehicles with any type of powertrain, letting automakers easily differentiate their product ranges and dynamically update vehicle features. The collaboration with our longstanding partner HighTec, ensures that automotive manufacturers can leverage the power of Rust while meeting the highest safety standards in the industry.”
“Our engineers created the industry’s first software compiler to support Rust and achieve qualification to the highest level of the automotive functional-safety standard, ISO 26262 ASIL D,” said Mario Cupelli, CTO at HighTec EDV-Systeme. “ST’s Stellar automotive microcontrollers are the first 28nm components certified according to ISO 26262 ASIL D. This makes them a natural fit with our compiler, enabling customers to have a complete solution where safety is assured seamlessly across compiler, hardware, and software.”
