Exploration: Lightweight Container Execution for Automotive ECUs (Eclipse SSAM)

[jeff-kim-mobis]

Context

Eclipse SSAM is currently under review as a new Eclipse top-level project:
https://projects.eclipse.org/proposals/eclipse-ssam

It is a lightweight container execution framework purpose-built for resource-constrained automotive ECUs — not a general-purpose OCI runtime.
Initial contributor: Hyundai Mobis. License: Apache 2.0. Code is already public.

Why S-CORE

S-CORE today has no module covering container/package execution — how applications are deployed, started, and isolated as runnable packages on the ECU. SSAM targets exactly that gap:

• Establishes a container environment and initiates application execution within 100 ms
• Continuous integrity verification via dm-verity + EROFS
• Resource isolation via ext4 project quota

Functional safety compliance up to ASIL-B is a stated future goal of the project, not a current claim.

Platform

Currently runs on Linux-based hosts. A QNX port is planned once QNX introduces container execution capabilities — relevant for S-CORE's multi-OS target deployments.

What I'm asking

We understand container execution is not a v1.0 target for S-CORE.
However, for S-CORE to serve real SDV use cases beyond v1.0 — dynamic deployment, app isolation, secure update — a container/package runtime seems hard to avoid.

This post is to gauge whether the Architecture Community shares that view:

1. Do you see container execution as a necessary capability for post-v1.0 S-CORE in the SDV context?
2. If yes, would a Mobis-led contribution (SSAM) be a reasonable starting point?
3. If yes, what would be the most effective way to bring this forward — filing a Feature Request, requesting an AC pitch slot, or aligning with an adjacent FT (e.g., FEO, Security) beforehand?

For deeper technical detail, the Eclipse proposal page is the most complete reference. We'd especially value early reactions on concerns or adjacent work the community thinks we should be aware of.

[FScholPer]

Container execution is in scope with https://eclipse-score.github.io/score/main/features/lifecycle/requirements/index.html#feat_req__lifecycle__oci_compliant

[klee-mobis]

As Ssam is designed to utilize existing OCI-compliant container runtime - crun (or runc or OCI Runtime spec-compliant implementation) to execute containers, it can be considered compliant.

[anmittag]

@NicolasFussberger , @S-MOHAMD, @ramceb please review and check if we could integrate it into lifecycle, have to modify the feature request or if we reject tis approach

@anmittag => TLC: 2026-06-11 recheck