Automotive Rapid Prototyping System (Auto/RPS)
The automotive world is rapidly shifting toward Software‑Defined Vehicles, cars that evolve through software, stay connected throughout their lifecycle, and deliver new capabilities long after production. To accelerate this transformation, the Central Car Server Project (CeCaS), funded by the German Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, is pioneering the centralized compute architectures that will power future vehicles. In alignment with these goals, Missing Link Electronics (MLE) and Trenz Electronic have developed the Automotive Rapid Prototyping System (Auto/RPS): a cost‑optimized, modular platform that empowers software teams to innovate faster and bring next‑generation vehicle concepts to life.
Challenge
As vehicles become more connected and more software‑centric, development teams must deliver new features at unprecedented speed. Traditional hardware‑driven workflows slow this process, often requiring repeated FPGA modifications and custom engineering for every new function or model variant. Meanwhile, SDV programs depend on deterministic high‑speed networking, scalable compute resources, and development environments that abstract away vehicle‑specific details.
Automakers and suppliers need a platform that removes friction, supports rapid iteration, and enables software teams to focus on building features, not rebuilding infrastructure. Auto/RPS was created to meet exactly this need, offering a unified, flexible foundation that aligns with the fast, data‑driven development cycles shaping the future of mobility.
Implementation with Trenz Modules
At the core of the Auto/RPS platform is the Trenz Electronic TE0950 evaluation board, powered by an AMD Versal AI Edge SoC. This module provides a robust, ready‑to‑deploy hardware foundation with generous RAM, storage, configuration memory, and essential interfaces including Gigabit Ethernet, USB, and CRUVI. Its single‑voltage design ensures simplicity and reliability, key advantages for rapid prototyping environments.
MLE builds on this hardware with its comprehensive software stack, including Auto/TSN, a Time‑Sensitive Networking solution operating over 25‑Gigabit Ethernet on Debian Linux. Auto/TSN delivers deterministic, multi‑gigabit in‑vehicle networking by combining IEEE TSN standards, IP‑based communication, and reliable transport protocols such as TCP and the Reliable Rapid Request‑Response Protocol (RRRRP). Performance‑critical functions are accelerated in the Versal programmable logic, while the ARM processing system handles the rest for maximum maintainability.
This modular, API‑first architecture enables automakers to integrate new technologies quickly, scale across vehicle programs, and eliminate the need for repeated FPGA changes. The result is a dramatically accelerated development cycle, demonstrated by MLE’s ability to move from concept to an in‑vehicle prototype in just nine months.
