SAN FRANCISCO, CA. The Linux Foundation released the Enabling Linux in Safety Applications (ELISA) open source project for the purpose of generating a set of tools and processes for companies to build and certify Linux-based safety-critical applications and systems.

ELISA will simplify the process in building safety-critical systems such as robotic devices, medical devices, smart factories, transportation systems and autonomous driving using Linux. ELISA’s founding members include Arm, BMW Car IT GmbH, KUKA, Linutronix, and Toyota.

Certification authorities and standardization bodies in various industries will work with ELISA to apply Linux as a component in safety-critical systems. The project will also entail outlining and sustaining a mutual set of elements, processes and tools that can be implemented into Linux-based, safety-critical systems.

“All major industries, including energy, medical and automotive, want to use Linux for safety-critical applications because it can enable them to bring products to market faster and reduce the risk of critical design errors. The challenge has been the lack of the clear documentation and tools needed to demonstrate that a Linux-based system meets the necessary safety requirements for certification,” said The Linux Foundation’s Senior Director of Strategic Programs, Kate Stewart. “Past attempts at solving this have lacked the critical mass needed to establish a widely discussed and accepted methodology, but with the formation of ELISA, we will be able to leverage the infrastructure and support of the broader Linux Foundation community that is needed to make this initiative successful.”

For more information, visit elisa.tech or www.linuxfoundation.org.