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MICROSAR Hypervisor

MICROSAR Hypervisor enables safe and efficient virtualization, supporting independent development, mixed-criticality systems and reuse of existing software.
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MICROSAR Hypervisor is a standalone Type‑1 hypervisor for MCU platforms that offer hardware core-virtualization support. It provides strict spatial and temporal isolation between virtual machines, allowing multiple virtualized independent and isolated OS or bare-metal instances (Virtual Machines/VMs) to run safely and efficiently on a single microcontroller on one or more cores.

The solution addresses system architects and technical decision‑makers who need to consolidate software, reuse existing ECU projects, or partition systems with different safety or security requirements, while keeping development workflows independent. 

Key Benefits at a Glance

MICROSAR Hypervisor enables safe and efficient virtualization, supporting independent development, mixed-criticality systems and reuse of existing software.
  • System consolidation without risk 
    Run multiple isolated systems on one controller while maintaining secure separation. 
  • Minimal performance overhead
    Designed for embedded use cases with less than 1% overhead in standard setups.*
  • Independent development paths 
    Develop, integrate, and update virtual machines separately - without cross‑dependencies. 

 

  • Seamless integration with proven functional safety
    The solution integrates seamlessly into the MICROSAR ecosystem and is developed according to ISO 26262 up to ASIL-D.
  • Efficient reuse of existing software 
    Reuse and combine independent ECU projects instead of redesigning them. 

  • Fast setup and configuration 
    Typical configurations can be set up within a short time frame.* 

     

    *Details to be validated / reviewed internally. 

Key Features of MICROSAR Hypervisor

MICROSAR Hypervisor focuses on what matters most in embedded systems: isolation, determinism and control.

Virtualization & Isolation

  • Hardware‑assisted Type‑1 Hypervisor 
    Runs directly on the microcontroller for predictable, low‑latency behavior. 

  • Secure separation 
    Memory, peripherals, and registers are strictly isolated between virtual machines. 

Interface & Compatibility

  • Management interface 
    Hypervisor itself and other VMscan be managed at runtime (system startup and shutdown, start, stop and restart of VMs).

  • Compatibility 
    Any operating system that supports running in virtualized mode on the target platform.

Scheduling & Resource Protection

  • Time‑slice scheduling 
    Deterministic switching between virtual machines. 

  • Runtime system protection  
    Prevents faulty or unintended interactions across partitions.

Integration & Lifecycle

  • MICROSAR Classic integration 
    Fully aligned with the Vector’s MICROSAR ecosystem. 

  • Independent VM integration 
    Virtual machines can be integrated and validated independently. 

Supported Hardware and Compilers
MICROSAR Hypervisor is largely hardware-independent, providing high flexibility across platforms and project setups. By sharing your required combination of derivatives, compilers and basic software modules at an early stage, you ensure a perfect fit for your specific requirements. This enables Vector to deliver a tailored solution and support a smooth and efficient project start.
Overview of Supported Hardware and Compilers

Deterministic Execution with Strict Isolation

MICROSAR Hypervisor is a standalone Type 1 hypervisor for MCU platforms that offer hardware core-virtualization support. It enables to run multiple virtualized independent and isolated OS or bare-metal instances (Virtual Machines/VMs) on one or more cores.

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Virtualization scenario with 4 Virtual Machines on a dual-core MCU

  • At startup, the hypervisor initializes hardware resources and assigns them to defined virtual machines. 

  • Each VM operates in its own protected context with controlled access to shared resources. 

  • Scheduling and interrupt handling remain deterministic and transparent to the application layer. 

This approach enables safety‑oriented partitioning without introducing unnecessary complexity into application software. 

Resources can be allocated to the individual VMs in a dedicated way, while access to these resources from other VMs is prevented by the Peripheral Protection Management. MICROSAR Hypervisor can also manage interrupts and make them available to the individual VMs in their time slice. The Hypervisor is compatible with any operating system. Thus, existing projects can be run together without any changes. A consolidation of several projects on one microcontroller can be easily realized. 

The Hypervisor additionally provides an interface (API) that can be used both for secure communication between individual VMs as well as for managing the Hypervisor in operation. This enables resource sharing and system management - for example, by restarting individual VMs through a central instance. 

To fully leverage the computing power of modern microcontrollers and meet real-time requirements, Time-Slice Scheduling can be configured via flexible schedule tables. Users can distribute resources across cores, either by using one core for multiple VMs or dedicating individual cores to specific VMs. 

The configuration of MICROSAR Hypervisor projects is facilitated through the proven Vector tool DaVinci Configurator Classic. 

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Your Perfect Start With Our Products
Are you looking for the right foundation for your next ECU project? Try Vector’s software platform products, which come with ready-to-use packages that let you quickly and efficiently evaluate workflows, features, and development approaches.
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Enable Flexible Architectures and Scalable Integration

Typical scenarios where embedded virtualization simplifies system design and operation.

  • System consolidation
    Combine multiple standalone systems on one controller to reduce hardware complexity.
  • Mixed‑criticality architectures
    Separate software with different safety or cybersecurity levels at runtime.
  • Reuse of legacy projects
    Integrate existing ECU software into new architectures without refactoring.
  • Parallel development
    Allow teams to develop and test software independently within isolated virtual machines.

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