Immediate feedback in complex systems
When an operator starts a heavy-duty machine—such as material handling machines, agricultural machines, or other off-highway vehicles—the expectation is that clusters and screens providing information about the vehicle will be immediately available, which is vital for both safety and performance. CrossControl, a Swedish leader in advanced display computers for off-highway vehicles, has met this demand with a novel fast-boot architecture powered by Qt for MCUs and Qt Framework.
Modern off-highway vehicles are becoming increasingly digital, and their clusters and displays provide the driver with information that is crucial for monitoring machine performance and ensuring safety requirements are met.
Our customers want displays to respond immediately when the machine powers on. We optimized Linux as much as we could, but we needed something fundamentally faster. Says Magnus Wijk, Global Product Line Manager.
CrossControl's ARM-based display computers already offer advanced instrumentation; however, Linux-based systems running on MPUs, while powerful, take several seconds to boot—too slow for the instant-on experiences expected in the field.
Dual-Processor Start-Up Powered by Qt
By leveraging NXP’s iMX8X System on a Chip (SoC), which integrates both an MCU and MPU, CrossControl developed a seamless boot strategy. Utilizing Qt for MCUs on the Cortex-M4 core, the system displays critical UI elements in just a few hundred milliseconds after starting the machine—well before Linux fully boots on the MPU, which is powered by Qt 6.
We initiate the UI with Qt for MCUs operating on the microcontroller, while the MPU application loads concurrently. In this way, the driver instantly receives the necessary information and the expectations are fulfilled. Says Mr. Lindfors
The result? A responsive display interface that is available almost instantly—an essential enhancement for scenarios such as entering a PIN code to activate a machine or showing operational status immediately after power-on.
Then, once Linux is ready, typically after 5 to 10 seconds, Qt 6 seamlessly takes over without the driver noticing any transition at all. He continues
Seamless takeover and fallback
The system created by CrossControl and powered by Qt also includes fallback support. If the main processor becomes overloaded or fails, the MCU can still display essential UI elements and information, ensuring a seamless user experience.
This type of hybrid setup is exceptionally relevant for industrial vehicles and automotive systems. Qt enables us to operate on both processors, developing robust and flexible systems that simply work. Adds Mr. Lindfors.
CrossControl examined various UI frameworks but chose Qt for its cross-platform consistency and development efficiency.
We can reuse graphics assets and logic across MCU and MPU implementations, ensuring a consistent experience across all types of screens and displays. Additionally, Qt’s QML language significantly accelerates UI development compared to C-based alternatives. Continues Mr. Lindfors.
About CrossControl
CrossControl was founded in 1991 as a specialist consultant company with at that time 7 employees and one customer. The company has evolved to become a full-fledge solution provider, producing and supplying advanced electronics and providing engineering services to a world-wide customer base. In 2015 the business employed 200 people with operations in China, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the United States.
CrossControl supports customers in making industrial vehicles and machines smarter, safer and more productive. Through operational excellence and engineering expertise, we are a trusted partner for OEMs and system integrators across the world. We provide powerful platforms for machine intelligence, communication and human-machine interaction.
CrossControl is part of CentroMotion, a global manufacturing company specializing in friction products, information and control devices, mechanical power transmission products, and thermal and motion controls that build, move and feed the world. Our breadth of products and extensive expertise allow us to offer the right solution for the application while ensuring it provides the highest level of safety, quality and reliability.
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