HUGHES Telematics Selects Wind River to Deliver Foundation for Next-Generation Automotive Electronics

ALAMEDA, Calif. & ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2008 - Wind River , the global leader in Device Software Optimization (DSO), today announced that HUGHES Telematics has selected Wind River as the foundation for its next-generation telematics architecture. Specifically, HUGHES Telematics’ telematics control unit (TCU) will deliver information to drivers using Wind River Linux, a commercial-grade Linux operating system, and the recently introduced Wind River hypervisor will enable hardware virtualization. Additionally, Wind River will provide professional services to the HUGHES Telematics software development team throughout the development process.

HUGHES Telematics is developing an advanced end-to-end telematics solution that will embrace a next-generation telematics architecture, which will be largely enabled by Wind River’s open operating system and hypervisor technology. Wind River’s solution will reduce development and hardware costs and increase the system’s functionality. HUGHES Telematics will begin rolling out its telematics solution in 2009.

“Wind River was able to provide HUGHES Telematics with a growth path for future innovative products by coupling commercial Linux with automotive-specific extensions and virtualization technology, along with deep industry expertise,” said Erik Goldman, president of HUGHES Telematics. “Together with Wind River’s commercial Linux, we see tremendous value in the company’s hypervisor technology, since it allows HUGHES Telematics to expand differentiating functionality as necessitated by market or future demand.”

“HUGHES Telematics selecting Wind River is significant since it represents another example of how Wind River’s Linux solutions are challenging the traditional approach to proprietary solutions,” said Alex Kocher, general manager of the Automotive segment at Wind River. “Further, it represents what we believe is the beginning of hardware consolidation for automotive manufacturers and suppliers, as indicated by early traction of our virtualization technology. With our market-leading operating systems, tools and multicore technology, we believe we have the broadest and deepest set of technologies for the automotive market.”

The benefit of Wind River hypervisor to HUGHES Telematics is the ability to minimize hardware costs while being able to create truly innovative and differentiating solutions. Wind River hypervisor virtualizes the hardware, allowing HUGHES Telematics to simultaneously run Wind River Linux and a real-time CAN (Controller Area Network) bus stack on the same processor. This allows the system to meet its real-time requirements for performance and boot time while being able to leverage the rich Linux environment for other applications.

Wind River’s hypervisor technology incorporates the same rigorous design practices and technology of its products for aerospace, an adjacent industry that faces similar real-time and mission-critical challenges as the automotive market.