Japanese automakers collaborate on operating system

Earlier this year, Toyota was reportedly mulling the idea of crafting its own in-car OS, but now the firm -- along with nine other Japanese companies -- will be collaborating with the Economy, Trade, and Industry Ministry to develop "an operating system for automotive electronics." The initiative is supposedly in reaction to similar joint developments going on with a number of European car outfits, and will aim to "create a global standard in the field." Dubbed JasPar (Japan Automotive Software Platform Architecture), the venture will include big shots such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Denso, and Toshiba, and you can look for a prototype version to reach completion in 2009.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[AKBlade13 @ Jul 31st 2007 1:04AM]

They better name the OS Carbuntu.

:D

But seriously I like the sound of it. It means that you won't have to go through heck for licnesning and thus up the value. At the same time I wonder if it will be available to others than the ones listed in a future time?

AKBlade13

[JJ @ Jul 30th 2007 9:27AM]

At least we know it won't breakdown

[AlexP @ Jul 30th 2007 10:03AM]

BECAUSE TOYOTAS NEVER BREAK, RIGHT GUYS? NEITHER DO NISSANS! NEVERMIND THE BROKEN CAMRY TRANSMISSION!

The only company that's worth respecting for their reliability record and green record is (in the trio) Honda, Nissan suffers from Euro connections (yays, let's put unproven technologies into our cars to drive costs down!).

Sorry to hate Toyota.

[BestSnowman @ Jul 30th 2007 10:35AM]

@AlexP lay off the friggin' caps, its annoying and just makes you look like an idiot

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:39AM]

Nissan is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. I can't count how many problems I have had, and the number of times I took my Renault in to have a faulty indicator fixed only to be told the "Fault could not be replicated", finally it became so bad they could replicate it, funny that.

Also the Nissan Micras built in Sunderland (I think) UK suffer incredible reliability problems.

[Karl @ Jul 30th 2007 10:52AM]

@AlexP: You must be conveniently forgetting the Honda transmission debacle (I used to own a V6 Accord, so I know whereof I speak). They're about the same, quality wise.

[JJ @ Jul 30th 2007 1:18PM]

Well Toyota, Nissan and Honda are in the top 4 most reliable cars weather or not you think your car is reliable:

www.whatcar.co.uk/news-special-report.aspx?NA=217350#

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 30th 2007 9:27AM]

Hmm, I hope this OS isn't prone to crashes. (pun intended)

[andy @ Jul 30th 2007 9:28AM]

I imagine this is just what it says, an operating system. It gives a list of valid commands, each of which do different things. Then you have drivers for each device on teh CAN network.

This will be a boon to aftermarket companies who can then just put new fueling and timing maps in the computer, tweak transmission shiftpoints, etc.

Should be an interesting development.

[joka @ Jul 30th 2007 9:31AM]

Don't expect to much (features for the infotainment).... this will be mainly an OS for the electronic control units (e.g. ABS or ACC) and is following the idea of Autosar (http://www.autosar.org)

[Rob @ Jul 30th 2007 9:43AM]

Please, make sure to keep Microsoft AWAY from all this.
You don't want your car "crashing" and getting the Blue Screen of death.

[andy @ Jul 30th 2007 10:50AM]

I know what you mean. It happens all the time. I guess I'm lucky though, because my Windows XP sp2 machine is so fast that it reboots every time I blink so that I don't ever actually SEE the BSOD, I just know that it happened when I blinked.

[michael @ Jul 30th 2007 11:38AM]

Hmm. I run Windows on a nice high-end Sony Vaio. Guess what? No crashes. No BSOD.

Just hope that this OS they're developing isn't on junky cheap cars. It's not a wonder why people would have a problem with it.

[Tyk @ Jul 30th 2007 9:54AM]

Keep Apple away from this as well.. Jobs would make the dash a huge freakin' touch screen with zero ergonomics... you know ergonomics, right?

[Jon @ Jul 30th 2007 10:00AM]

Just keep Apple, MS AND Linux away.

Apple: no ergonomics, style over substance
MS: keeps crashing
Linux: we don't need the hassle just to boot the car up

-

I like the idea. Standardising the software would mean slightly cheaper maintenance.

[RedBull Runner @ Jul 30th 2007 11:12AM]

I agree with the microsoft, and sorta agree with the apple. But why Linux? It would be perfect for this job. Also, what do you mean the hassle of booting it up? I have a WRT54G running linux with a 4 month uptime. Never a problem on it.

I also have a P2 233Mhz box in the living room, serving printers over the network with an 802.11g pci card in it. over 2 month uptime, no keyboard, mouse, or display on it. all I had to do on it was press the power button after I got it all set up.. No problems whatsoever.

[Cristatus @ Jul 30th 2007 12:18PM]

@Redbull Runner: what flavor would that be? I wanna try it out.

[Mystic Alpaca @ Jul 30th 2007 10:20AM]

But will it play Doom!?

[Eric @ Jul 30th 2007 10:40AM]

Doom? You mean Carmageddon?

[Eric @ Jul 30th 2007 10:39AM]

Apple no ergonimics? Dude, you really don't know squat, do you?

Okay, I'll chime in not as an Apple fanboy that I am, but as a California motorist.

We don't need what BMW was trying to do with Windows. The New York Times joked about bringing new meaning to the term BSOD.

The first version of iDrive in, I think it was, the 7 series BMWs not only would shut the car down dead when traveling at highway speeds, but would spit CDs at the passenger. Now, that might not seem dangerous, but why give the RIAA another excuse to do anything? :-D

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:41AM]

The Windscreen of Death.

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:42AM]

You'd also have to change the battery every few days and the windscreens would crack every time it rains.

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:43AM]

Reply isn't working the battery gag was a reply to a post about Jobs getting the contract.

Fine if you want a white car.

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:44AM]

Reply is messing up.

My post about the battery and cracked windscreen is if JobsCo got the contract.

[mattclarkie @ Jul 30th 2007 10:46AM]

That is just bollocks. If that was true there would be a huge recall worldwide

[AlexP @ Jul 30th 2007 11:51AM]

I'm not, actually.

Thanks for the info.

[ssuk @ Jul 30th 2007 11:03AM]

Please also note that JasPar is only the OS' fundamental structure, not the name of the Car OS... And guys, the "lol dun let MS/APPLE/LINUX ONTO UR OS!!11" jokes weren't funny to begin with, what made you think posting MORE would somehow make them more funny?

[Amir Naqui @ Jul 30th 2007 11:16AM]

So is this to compete with AUTOSAR? If so, I don't get it, why not just join the AUTOSAR team instead of splintering off.

[johnzilla @ Jul 30th 2007 11:42AM]

If you think end users would ever be able to access/modify the car's central operating system, especially when it comes to safety features like ABS or airbags, you're crazy.

Car companies (I work for one) fight tooth and nail to keep basic things like OBD info secret...you can bet they'll do the same to keep users from messing with a car's central operating system. Engine control by tweakers is one thing...messing with the operating system that manages everything else is something else entirely.

Liability and warranty issues alone would preclude a car company from allowing end user access to such a system, let alone technical issues.

Now, if on the very slim chance car companies would allow such access, there's going to be a huge amount of money to be made trading on the consumer fear factor by selling anti-virus and firewall type software specifically designed for cars.

[Kevin @ Jul 30th 2007 12:59PM]

l0lz!!one!

1'm, in j00r c4r, h4x0ring j00t w33lz

Sorry, I had to get that out. I'm thinking that this system is going to be the predecessor to the "drives itself" kind of stuff we've seen in science fiction movies for years now. GPS navigation device + car that operates itself = less time stuck behind the bozo going 45 on the highway (I would hope).

Granted I don't expect to see a viable version of something like that in less than... 15 years, but it might be nice.

[Eric @ Jul 30th 2007 3:33PM]

Kevin,

I think you're right about auto-drive cars (pun intended) are a long way off in the future. Not that we couldn't do it now, but that manufacturers are going to be reluctant to do it because most people would never trust a OS of any brand (Mac, PC, Linux, BSD, or even Solaris) to drive as well as your average high school dropout.

When I was a kid way back in the mid-60s, I remember a car designer visiting my family. He talked about planting guides in streets and having cars drive themselves using such guides, and using radar to keep them separated. The vision was to allow us to read the paper (Never heard of a bus or train?) on the way to work, and to be safer than we are now. And yet, to this day it hasn't come true even though it has been possible for years.

[Matt O @ Jul 30th 2007 12:10PM]

Idk what warrants all these negative comments against these companies. All i know is that the Nissan Xterra that i purchased 6 months ago is amazing. I have not had any problems with i so far and for being an off road centric suv it handles amazingly.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 30th 2007 12:50PM]

The problem is that they need to re-name the backup procedure.

Every time I try to back up the car these two white lights come on in the back and it starts beeping!

Either that or the car won't move at all and it keeps asking me for a disc!!

They need to talk to the Thermos people so it will know on it's own.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go boot up my feet for an old-fashioned browse through the woods.

[gshb @ Jul 30th 2007 1:19PM]

does this mean i can finally play the wii while driving?

[Gordon @ Jul 30th 2007 3:28PM]

What I'm hoping this means is that GPS navigation systems in these cars would be standardized such that DVD map updates would not have to cost hundreds of dollars. Up-to-date, accurate maps shouldn't be charged that high in an age when the same information is so readily available through Internet map directions services and mapping programs.

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ Jul 30th 2007 4:30PM]

Aaah, TRON... at last!

[Joseph @ Jul 30th 2007 4:37PM]

The obligatory...
What about a Beowulf cluster of these?
I for one welcome our new Japanese Automobile overlords.
I'm Jim Halpert...na na na ...little night rider comment...

[micklol @ Jul 30th 2007 10:47PM]

Let me tell you a story:
Once upon a time, a baby octopus was born.....

.....in Korea. THE END.