HighTec

HighTec EDV Systeme: The Global Leader in Commercial Open Source Compilers and Safety-Certified RTOS for Embedded Systems

In the fast-paced world of embedded systems, where safety, performance, and real-time reliability are essential, HighTec EDV Systeme GmbH has emerged as a global leader. Since its founding in 1982, this privately held company has grown into the largest commercial open source compiler vendor in the world, serving critical industries including automotive, aerospace, industrial control, robotics, and medical devices.

With headquarters in Germany and international offices in the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Hungary, and China, HighTec delivers trusted tools and services to embedded software developers across the globe.

Market-Leading Compiler Technology

At the core of HighTec’s product portfolio is a comprehensive family of C/C++ compilers built on open-source foundations such as GCC, and engineered for the unique demands of embedded development. These compilers are continuously updated to support the latest chip revisions ahead of general release, giving developers an edge in time-to-market and optimization.

Supported Architectures:

• C/C++ Development Platform

• Rust Development Platform

New: ISO 26262 ASIL D Qualified Rust Development Platform for AURIX™ and ARM® based Stellar

Being fully committed to safety and innovation, HighTec now offers the first ISO 26262 ASIL D qualified Rust Compiler Development Platform for ARM based Stellar from STMicroelectronics and Infineon AURIX. This marks a significant industry milestone towards increased security, safety and efficiency in automotive software development.

In the rapidly evolving Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), security, complexity, and cost-effectiveness present significant challenges, moving the industry towards secure, safer and more efficient programming solutions. Rust is a memory safe programming language that provides major advantages over traditional languages by minimizing security risks, shortening development cycles and reducing costs.

The HighTec Rust Compiler, tailored for AURIX and ARM microcontrollers, leverages the advanced open-source LLVM technology to deliver the full range of Rust language features, including memory safety, concurrency, and interoperability, for applications with strict requirements regarding safety, security, high-performance, and rapid deployment.

HighTec's pioneering step towards the Rust compiler qualification, that goes beyond language conformity, complements its successful C/C++ compiler for AURIX and ARM Stellar microcontrollers, which are also ASIL D qualified according to ISO 26262.

Both (C/C++ and Rust) compilers are built on the cutting-edge LLVM open-source technology. This unified toolchain solution allows seamless integration of newly developed Rust code with legacy C/C++ code or a so-called hybrid development approach. Therefore, software developers e.g. can identify critical functions in terms of security, rewrite that part in Rust and integrate it in their overall system.

Features and Benefits

HighTec’s Rust Development Platform enables the implementation of the Rust features for the AURIX and Stellar multicore architecture, including:

• Advanced Multi-Core support
• Memory Safety
• Concurrency
• Interoperability
• Zero-cost Abstractions
• Build and Package Manager (Cargo)
• Type Safety
• Type-State API

• Advanced Multi-Core support
• The proprietary solution for migrating to multi-core
• Based on linker level (ISO and EABI compliant) - a portable solution for migrating to multi-core
• Application code can be ported to multi-core without source code modification
• Proven software can be easily migrated to multi-core silicon
• Support of homogenous and heterogeneous Multi-Core architectures

Ecosystem

• Rust Partner Ecosystem
• AURIX Rust Startup Ecosystem
• ARM Rust Ecosystem

Rust and AUTOSAR Classic

Major automotive software vendors enabled development of Rust applications as software components (SWCs) on top of the RTE. This means, OEMs and tier can take advantages of Rust to develop security or safety critical application software with Rust on top of the RTE and combine it with the existing AUTOSAR classic stack and existing application software written in C.

The complete project can then be built with the HighTec compiler development platform

• Rust Code with the HighTec Rust compiler suites
• C/C++ Code with the HighTec C/C++ compiler suites
• Seamlessly linked together

Integration of AUTOSAR SWCs written in Rust into a existing C-based AUTOSAR Classic environment

More information from our partners:

• Vector: Safety Applications with Rust and Autosar Classic
• Elektrobit Rust meets AUTOSAR
  
• ETAS
  

Request Rust Evaluation Package

To get an evaluation version of our Rust Development Platform, please register on the following link: Request Rust Evaluation Package (AURIX/ARM)

• Their sales team will review your request and send you the evaluation license key.
• The evaluation version of our compiler is not restricted in functionality. The evaluation license that they will provide to you is valid for 30 days. If you have any questions regarding the usage of their tools, please contact their support team during your evaluation period and they will gladly support you.

• PPU: MetaWare

• Qkit - ISO 26262 Tools Qualification Kit

  The Qualification Kit (Qkit) for the HighTec compiler products provides to the end-users and safety managers the required evidence to use HighTec’s products in safety applications up to ASIL D in compliance with ISO 26262:2018.
  The used tool qualification methodology has been certified by the TÜV according to ISO 26262:2018 for the safety level ASIL D.

  The Qualification Kit package programming language, includes the following safety documents:

  • • Tool Classification Report
    • Tool Safety Manual (Known bugs and mitigations of potential errors)
    • Tool Qualification Plan (validation goals, requirements of standard)
    • Tool Qualification Report (use cases and features that have been qualified, Test Resulting Tool Confidence Level)

  The following graphic illustrates the basic work-flow of the certification process.

  

  Contrary to standard Safety Manuals based on fixed default tool settings and non-relevant test suites, HighTec's unique approach provides the user with a tailored set of Safety Documents based on the user's specific and optimized tool settings related to the application that is subject to the certification. To request more detailed information about Qkit, please contact our Qkit experts team.

  

  Qkit is available for different programming languages C/C++ and Rust supporting multiple architectures, such as TriCore/Aurix, ARM (32-bit and 64-bit), RISC-V (32-bit and 64-bit) and Power Architecture. Qkit can be used for various certification processes, such as ISO 26262, ISO 13849 and IEC 61508.

• ASIL-D Qualification of C/C++ Libraries

  The ISO 26262 standard requires for ASIL-D the qualification of tools (see chapter 8.11) and a qualification of software components like C/C++ libraries of a compiler (see chapter 8.12).

  The ISO 26262 standards defines a software tool (see definition I-1.124) e.g. compiler as computer program used in the development. HighTec performs the tool qualification (see ISO26262 ASIL-D Qkit) with a TÜV certified methodology (provided by Validas AG) which is compliant to chapter 8-11.

  The requirements of the qualification of libraries e.g. C/C++ (software components) differ compared to the qualification of tools. The following graphic illustrates the main differences of requirements.

  

  The relevant items in the ISO 26262 standard for “Qualification of software components” e.g. C/C++ libraries are:

  Part 6 - Clause 7	7.4.6 Reused without modifications and 7.4.8 Safety-related software components that are used without modifications shall be qualified in accordance with ISO 26262-8:2011 Clause 12
  ASIL-D:	12.4.3.3 requires MC/DC Code Coverage
  ASIL-C:	12.4.3.1 The specification of the software component shall include the requirements of the software component … 12.4.3.2 To provide evidence that a software component complies with its requirements the verification of this software component shall show a requirement coverage in accordance with ISO 26262-6:2011, Clause 9.

  HighTec's library qualification kit is using the same Validas methodology for tools and library qualification and is compliant to chapter 8-12.

  To achieve ASIL-D for C/C++ libraries the following requirements must be fulfilled.

  • 100% MC/DC Coverage
  • Equivalence tests, Negative tests, Requirements based tests

  The Library Qkit enables users to perform standard compliant qualification in a simple and easy way, supporting qualification up to ISO26262 ASIL D.

  Library Qkit is available for multiple architectures, such as TriCore/Aurix, ARM and Power Architecture. To request more detailed information about Library Qkit, please contact our Qkit experts team.

• PXROS - Real-time OS for TriCore and AURIX

  PXROS-HR is an object oriented real-time operating-system (RTOS) with a very modern micro-kernel and outstanding features, especially suited for deployment on advanced multi-core MCUs. The latest version of PXROS-HR improves the concepts of encapsulation and robustness by using fine granular hardware protection mechanisms (MPU), available in modern micro-controllers like the AURIX.

  The PXROS-HR operating-system for TriCore has been officially safety approved. HighTec received the certificate confirming the fitness of PXROS-HR for safety-related applications up to SIL 3 (IEC61508) and ASIL D (ISO 26262).

  The certification includes an assessment report containing the assessment results of the certification authority, TÜV-Nord Systems GmbH & Co. KG.

  PXROS-HR is developed with the HighTec C/C++ compiler for TriCore/AURIX and best suited for industrial applications, as well as automotive applications where safety is key. The RTOS integrates with Infineon's MCAL and SafeTlib software frameworks, while being non-AUTOSAR based and highly optimized for the TriCore architecture, providing multi-core support for the AURIX family.

  

  RTOS Introduction

  PXROS-HR (High Reliability) is the successor of the original real-time micro-kernel PXROS, that was first developed in 1983, which is in successful use since 1985 on thousands of different applications/devices in the field. There were three very important design goals set for the original PXROS, which were fully achieved:

  • Excellent interrupt behavior (no interrupt locking!)
  • Philosophy of OS leads to a good structure and architectural clearness
  • Extreme robust behavior under heavy load

  One of the most important principles underlying PXROS is encapsulation of information and activity.

  Both help to improve the reliability and protection against unintended or malicious interference. Activities (tasks in the sense of processes) live in capsules and can only communicate by exchanging message objects and signals. Processes of this kind only know the objects needed to fulfill their task and behave in a such way that the rest of the system is affected to the least possible extend. For example, they should never use hard interrupts locks, because this might destroy assumptions regarding timing behavior in other places. Resources should only be used in such a way, that a local bottleneck has no global effects.

  

  The PXROS-API offers the complete set of services required to achieve the above mentioned goals. This API also allows to emulate the APIs of many other OSs. In PXROS-HR the principles of encapsulation are ensured in the form of automatic run-time checks performed by the AURIX MPU. The AURIX MPU behaves like an address comparator for checking address boundaries. PXROS-HR manages the AURIX MPU and ensures that an illegal data access by a task will be immediately detected at run-time by the MPU, and any error propagation will be prevented. If a task is scheduled, PXROS-HR will switch the MPU configuration of the corresponding task.

  In addition, PXROS-HR allows reloading and debugging tasks at run-time without stopping a running application. This encapsulation enables customers to perform a save function integration and to mix safety and non safety related software on a single AURIX without risk, since there is no error propagation. The most important concepts are explained below.

  Tasks and Handlers

  Because fast reactions to certain events are required in many technical applications, which should be executed with as little overhead as possible, PXROS implements the concept of complete interrupt transparency, i.e. PXROS never changes the state of the interrupt system of the microcontroller. This feature makes it possible to achieve warm start capability with PXROS. Thus, there are no interrupt locks caused by PXROS and interrupt services can always interrupt PXROS. The RTOS solely manages the remaining time resources of a main-loop. Due to the interrupt transparency, existing applications without OS can easily be ported to PXROS-HR as well as OS, which are partially or totally implemented on interrupt level. As the interrupt handling is not “predefined” or interfered by the microkernel, the application might implement any needed or reasonable check for the activity related to interrupts.

  In the PXROS terminology the interrupt service routines are so called handlers, which, in principle, are completely under control of the application, but can still use a subset of PXROS services. These services are handled in a special way, in order to minimize the PXROS related overhead on interrupt level.
  A handler can, for example, send signals (Events) to a task. This service is not executed on interrupt level, but is inserted into a list instead. Then this service is executed before returning from the interrupt levels to task level. This is in time, because the next task to be executed has to be determined before leaving the interrupt level.
  The use of handlers guarantees optimal time response (just like without OS), but except for the highest interrupt level, has affects on other interrupts. Actions within a task have no effect on the interrupt system, but task scheduling and communication generate some overhead, and thus it is vital for the overall performance of an application to find a good balance between handler and task based execution of application parts.

  In PXROS philosophy, a handler always belongs to a task and its address space. This means that in PXROS-HR, handlers will be controlled by the MPU. Handlers and the related task have a relation like interrupts to main-loop.
  In dynamically configured PXROS - systems (static configuration is also possible), tasks are responsible for installing and uninstalling related handlers. This concept allows dynamic configuration and reconfiguration of a running system.
  The PXROS-HR micro-kernel is executed in supervisor mode and handles the Memory Protection Unit of the controller. Tasks and handlers are executed in UserMode-0 or UserMode-1. In UserMode-1 the access to peripherals and the interrupt system is enabled. In the restricted UserMode-0 code can be executed, but the interrupt and peripherals cannot be accessed. Special PXROS-HR services allow selective access to peripherals in UserMode-0.

  The supervisor mode and the User-Modes use separate sets of protection registers, which are switched automatically by the TriCore hardware without overhead. If the PXROS-HR kernel is active, the kernel restricts its access to the object that has to be modified.

  Control of Resources

  With respect to safety and robustness it is very important to avoid bottlenecks or at least to limit their global effects. For this reason resources are subject to quota. Thus, every task has accounts, from which consumed resources are deducted or to which released resources are reassigned. This also means, that objects are either free (unused) or assigned to a task. All special objects (mailboxes, memory classes, object pools, message objects) are created from free “universal” objects taken from object pools and become “universal” objects again when released.

  This means in particular, that as long as free objects are available, objects of any kind can be created and deleted during run-time. Every task gets memory and objects from its creator. With suitable quotas memory- and object-bottlenecks can be limited to the affected task or subsystem, and systems can be built, which are partially dynamic without bottlenecks having compromising effects to vital functions of the overall system.

  Signaling and Communication

  PXROS allows interaction between handlers and tasks and among tasks via events and message-objects. Events are short messages implemented as bit fields, for which tasks can wait selectively with the help of a bit mask, telling which of the bits should terminate the waiting state. Message objects consist of an object description only accessible for the OS and the related data area. The object description also contains the information, which task currently uses the object. Moreover, there are link elements allowing to link the object into a mailbox (list), so that a mailbox can receive an arbitrary number of messages. If the object is sent, it leaves the address space of the sender and becomes part of a mailbox. Receiving an object from a mailbox removes the object from the mailbox and assigns it to the address space of the receiving task. An additional PXROS service is then required by the receiving task to get a pointer to the data area. If the micro-controller (e.g. AURIX) has suitable memory protection, PXROS-HR can protect itself and all managed objects from faulty and illegal access.

  

  Sending of a message or event is asynchronous and the sending instance must not assume, that the effect of these operations would be immediate. Sychronisation has to be done explicitly!.

  In PXROS-HR the content of messages is protected by the MPU, which leads to the highest level of data encapsulation and is relevant for achieving a high level of security.
  For clean implementation of this protection concept for objects, the micro-controller should have a suitable memory protection unit (MPU) with fine granularity such as the AURIX . Without a suitable MPU there is either a compromise in safety and security, or an excessive use of resources. In contrast to semaphore based communication, message object passing like in PXROS means atomic transfer of reference and access rights. It can be ensured, that at any given point of time an object can only (!) be used or modified by a single instance. Common objects can still be handled safely if they are stored (deposited) in a mailbox currently not used by other instances. Just like other objects, mailboxes can be created and deleted dynamically.
  PXROS allows simultaneous waiting for message objects and events

  General abort mechanism

  All services eventually leading to a waiting state can be terminated via Events. Moreover, an arbitrary function can be called in such a way that it is subject to termination via selected Events. This might be helpful in cases where computation has to be limited in time (convergence issues) or for other important reasons such as power fail situations.

  Time management

  

  PXROS is completely event driven and thus does not need a tick for internal operation. Since software timers are often required or helpful, PXROS offers so called delay-jobs as basic timing mechanisms. A delay-job allows the execution of user defined functions (with parameters) after a given number of ticks. The tick period and thus time granularity is defined by the application. Delay-jobs are executed as handlers on the interrupt level of the tick source. The time base of these soft timers can of course be subject to jitter if higher interrupts exist.
  As outlined, PXROS as an event controlled micro-kernel does not need timing events, yet it supports time slicing if ticks are available.

  Improved computing power consequences

  Safety and security measures often increase time and space requirements. In the past, this resulted in security or performance compromises. With modern high performance microcontrollers such as the TriCore, clean approaches and strict encapsulation become possible with minimal overhead. In PXROS-HR, the relevant overhead for encapsulation of tasks and message object transfer consists of the time that is needed for a Send and Receive operation with task scheduling.

  Redundancy, voting, diversity and other advantages are now possible even for fast processes. Moreover, control instances can be inserted transparently into the data and control flow.

  More information, webpresentations and training

  While the above product description gives an overview to PXROS-HR and its capabilities, you may have questions or certain requirements that you like to discuss with our RTOS experts. Our team is ready to follow up with webpresentations of 1-2 hours to give you a deeper view into this product, or to setup a Q&A session to discuss your specific topics.

  As PXROS-HR can integrate with Infineon's MCAL and SafeTlib frameworks, we can also present an introduction of such solution through a webpresentation.

  We offer comprehensive 2-day RTOS training courses on PXROS-HR, which are generally organized on-site at the customer's location. Such training can be combined/extended with training on MCAL or SafeTlib, to give a development team a headstart on the integration of these libraries into an application.

• MCAL and More...

  As Infineon Preferred Design House and STMicroelectronics authorized partner, HighTec markets various software frameworks from these semiconductor vendors, such as AUTOSAR MCAL libraries, safety related libraries (SafeTlib) and security software.

  HighTec supports its customers with design-in decisions, purchasing, technical support and in-house trainings. Project consultancy support is also provided by the experienced Application Engineers from the HighTec Prague office. The team has gained extensive experience at various semiconductor vendors, supporting end-users in a wide range of hardware and software challenges, including AUTOSAR based developments.

  Below an overview is listed of HighTec's offering for Infineon/AURIX and STMicroelectronics Power Architecture and ARM based applications.

  MCAL TC4xx Evaluation Package License Request

  This comprehensive package simplifies the AUTOSAR-based development process for the new AURIX TC4x family, by providing all necessary tools in one package. This includes:

  • Infineon TC4x BASIC MCAL Package with all essential drivers for hardware abstraction
  • EB tresos tool for easy configuration and integration.
  • HighTec’s LLVM based safety certified TriCore™ C/C++ compiler
  • HighTec’s IDE with an integrated debugger
  • Ready-to-Go Example Projects: Kick-start development with practical templates
  • Comprehensive Documentation: Guides and a MCAL GUI for project development

  Please fill the form MCAL TC4xx Evaluation Package to request a 3-month free of charge evaluation.

  

  Infineon and STMicroelectronics AUTOSAR MCAL

  • HighTec is world-wide reseller
  • MCAL configuration, review and integration in customer application framework
  • AUTOSAR Complex Driver development
  • MCAL integration with multi-core RTOS

  Infineon SafeTLib for AURIX and SafeTPack for AURIX 2G

  • SafeTLib/SafeTPack integration in a customer application framework
  • Test framework setup and configuration

  STMicroelectronics safety components

  • CST (CoreSelfTest), IST (InstructionSelfTest) integration support
  • MCAL Qualification Package for ISO 26262 compliant software development

  Driver development

  • Custom driver development for Infineon and STMicroelectronics devices
  • Custom integration of low level drivers/MCAL based drivers
  • Integration of advanced SW layers, such as Bootstrap, TCP/IP stacks, files system, etc.
  • PXROS-HR RTOS driver development

  System architecture and design

  • Single-core to multi-core migration
  • Multi-core based application architecture and partitioning design
  • Porting of non-OS based applications to OS-based system

  HighTec Solutions

  • Application and build frameworks based on HighTec C/C++ compiler (ARM (e.g. Stellar), Power Architecture, AURIX)
  • Build Toolchain migration into HighTec Toolchain
  • Safety multi-core real-time operating system design with PXROS-HR RTOS
  • ISO26262, IEC61508 Build Tool Qualification

  Advanced technical trainings

  

  • HighTec Build Tools
  • Infineon SafeTLib/SafeTPack Integration
  • MCAL Integration drivers
  • PXROS-HR RTOS Technical Trainings
  • Using Advanced AURIX Peripherals: GTM/MCS and HSM

  Detailed information about our training programs is available in 2-page PDF brochures. Contact us for the courses of your choice and our training team will follow up with you. We do 2-day in-house trainings in your company, but we also provide various free 1-hour webtrainings.

PXROS-HR: High-Certification Multicore RTOS

One of HighTec’s flagship products is PXROS-HR, a microkernel-based real-time operating system (RTOS) certified to the highest industry standards:

• ISO 26262 ASIL D: Automotive functional safety standard ensuring the highest safety integrity level for applications such as autonomous driving, braking systems, and powertrain control.
• IEC 61508 SIL 3: Widely used across industrial and energy systems, this certification ensures compliance with international functional safety standards.

PXROS-HR is designed for multicore architectures like Infineon AURIX™, offering robust task isolation, deterministic scheduling, and minimal footprint—ideal for applications where safety and performance are critical. It works seamlessly with the HighTec TriCore compiler, forming a fully integrated and certifiable toolchain for safety-critical automotive ECUs.

Safety, Certification, and Compliance

HighTec not only provides certified tools but also accelerates customer safety certification processes through:

• Qualification Support Kits (QSKs) for ISO 26262 and IEC 61508
• Safety manuals, traceability documentation, and long-term support
• Tool classification reports (TCLs) and compliance matrices

By offering pre-certified components and documentation, HighTec significantly reduces the time and cost for companies developing safety-critical systems.

Development Services and Expert Consulting

Beyond tools, HighTec offers full-cycle training, consulting, and software development services tailored to the challenges of modern embedded systems:

• Porting legacy applications from single-core to multicore
• AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive integration
• Performance optimization for real-time and resource-constrained environments
• Functional safety consulting to streamline certification processes

These services are backed by teams of experienced engineers with deep expertise in embedded systems, compilers, and safety engineering.

Trusted by Industry Leaders

HighTec’s tools are used by top-tier semiconductor vendors, OEMs, and Tier-1 suppliers across industries. Their technology powers automotive ECUs, robotic controllers, aerospace navigation systems, and industrial automation devices where precision, safety, and timing are non-negotiable.

With its future-proof compilers, certified real-time operating systems, and deep industry integration, HighTec helps customers innovate with confidence, knowing their systems are built on solid, safety-certified foundations.

Conclusion

From ISO 26262 ASIL D–certified RTOS solutions to cutting-edge compilers for TriCore, ARM, RISC-V, PowerPC, and emerging Rust environments, HighTec EDV Systeme is leading the charge in embedded software tooling. Their unmatched combination of open-source flexibility, commercial reliability, and safety compliance makes them a strategic partner for any organization developing next-generation embedded solutions.

As embedded systems continue to grow in complexity and importance, HighTec provides not just the tools—but the expertise and assurance—to deliver safely, securely, and on time.

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