Industry Transition: Automotive Sector Embraces Rust for Improved Software Safety and Performance

In a significant development for the automotive industry, Paul Whytock, a former design engineer at Ford Motor Company, reports a shift from the traditional programming languages C and C++ to Rust in automotive software. C++, known for its efficiency and control over system resources, is being challenged by Rust due to its improved safety and security features, a vital component for increasingly complex electronic vehicle systems.

Rust’s compatibility with C++ allows for a gradual transition rather than a complete code overhaul, facilitated by Rust’s Foreign Function Interface (FFI) to C libraries, enabling interactions between programmes written in different languages. The automotive industry has been quick to recognize Rust’s potential, with companies like Volvo, Ford, General Motors, BMW, Bosch, Volkswagen, and Toyota among early adopters. Rust’s capabilities include the Ownership Based Resource Management (OBRM) method for handling data, which ensures memory safety without impacting runtime and supports safe data sharing among multiple execution threads. Concerns exist about Rust’s compliance with ISO 26262, an industry standard for the safety of electronic and electrical systems in automotive design, but experts are confident this will soon be addressed. The language is already being utilized in embedded systems by German semiconductor company Infineon, signaling Rust’s growing influence in the sector.