SOAFEE
SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge) is an industry-led Special Interest Group, founded by Arm in 2021 and based in Cambridge, UK, that defines open, cloud-native standards for software-defined vehicles. It serves automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, semiconductor vendors, cloud providers, and automotive software vendors through free membership and reference implementations including EWAOL and the SOAFEE Integration Lab.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SOAFEE does
SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge) is an industry-led Special Interest Group (SIG) founded in 2021 by Arm and headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Its function is to define and maintain an open, hardware-agnostic architecture that allows automotive software to be developed using cloud-native practices and deployed onto vehicles. The consortium serves automakers (General Motors, Cariad), Tier-1 suppliers (Bosch, Panasonic Automotive Systems, LG Electronics, AUMOVIO), semiconductor vendors (Arm plus its Reference Design-1 AE reference hardware), cloud service providers (AWS, Red Hat), and automotive software companies (QNX, Sibros, Sibros's OTA stack, and others). Per the input it has grown to 150+ member organizations and operates across the UK, Germany, the United States, China, Japan, and Korea.
The technical core consists of three artifacts: (1) the EWAOL (Embedded Workspace for Application Orchestration on Linux) reference implementation that encodes the SOAFEE architecture and is validated against the SOAFEE test suite; (2) the SOAFEE Integration Lab, operated with Linaro, which runs compliance test suites against member implementations across multiple hardware platforms; and (3) the SOAFEE Blueprints program, where members publish real-world reference applications. Notable Blueprints include the Unified HMI virtual display framework built on VirtIO GPU (Panasonic), the Open AD Kit packaging Autoware as OCI containers for cloud-native autonomous-driving development (Arm, AWS, Corellium, Red Hat, Tier IV), and PICCOLO, a mixed-critical workload orchestrator contributed by LG Electronics. SOAFEE.next (2025) extended the architecture into the Arm Reference Design-1 AE for functional safety and mixed-critical orchestration.
Commercially, SOAFEE is a non-profit industry consortium, not a revenue-generating entity. Membership is free and open to organizations and individuals, with operating costs effectively underwritten by founding member Arm; the organization explicitly states no membership fees are charged. Governance rests on a Governing Body of founding-tier members (Arm, AUMOVIO, AWS, Bosch, Cariad, GM, LG Electronics, Panasonic Automotive, Red Hat), a Technical Steering Committee, and a Marketing Steering Committee. SOAFEE does not sell products, has no disclosed revenue or funding rounds, and operates in effect as a standards-adoption vehicle whose strategic value accrues to its members (and particularly Arm) rather than as a standalone commercial asset.
SOAFEE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SOAFEE
- Legal name
- SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge) Special Interest Group
- Website
- https://soafee.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge) is an industry-led Special Interest Group, founded by Arm in 2021 and based in Cambridge, UK, that defines open, cloud-native standards for software-defined vehicles. It serves automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, semiconductor vendors, cloud providers, and automotive software vendors through free membership and reference implementations including EWAOL and the SOAFEE Integration Lab.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SOAFEE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Software Standards
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Embedded Software & Firmware Tools (Compilers, Debug, RTOS tooling) (HDAHAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cloud-Native Enablement (Containers, Kubernetes, Service Mesh) (BPAEAKAE)
Keywords
Where SOAFEE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
SOAFEE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: SOAFEE membership is free with no fees to join. The initiative is funded by founding member Arm and operates as a non-profit Special Interest Group (SIG) focused on open standards development rather than commercial revenue generation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Membership - No fee to join |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
SOAFEE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SOAFEE provides an open, hardware-agnostic architecture framework that brings cloud-native development practices to automotive software-defined vehicles. It delivers the EWAOL reference implementation, the SOAFEE Integration Lab for compliance testing, and a member-contributed Blueprints program with real-world implementations such as Unified HMI, Open AD Kit, and PICCOLO mixed-critical orchestrator. The initiative enables developers to build and test in the cloud and deploy seamlessly to vehicles across diverse hardware platforms.
Product overview
SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge) is an industry-led Special Interest Group (SIG) founded by Arm that brings together over 120 industry leaders including automakers, semiconductor suppliers, cloud providers, and software vendors to define open, cloud-native standards for software-defined vehicles. The core offering consists of the EWAOL (Embedded Workspace for Application Orchestration on Linux) reference implementation that represents the SOAFEE architecture, the SOAFEE Integration Lab for compliance testing, and the SOAFEE Blueprint program where members contribute real-world examples such as Unified HMI (virtual display framework), Open AD Kit (autonomous driving solution), and PICCOLO (mixed critical orchestrator). The initiative bridges cloud and in-vehicle software development, enabling developers to build and test in the cloud and deploy to vehicles using a hardware-agnostic framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EWAOL (Embedded Workspace for Application Orchestration on Linux) The SOAFEE reference implementation that represents the SOAFEE architecture and ensures compliance using the SOAFEE test suite. Developed and maintained by the SOAFEE Reference Implementation Working Group for automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, and software developers.
- SOAFEE Blueprints Real-world examples of SOAFEE in Action, demonstrating architectures, integrations, and best practices. Members contribute reference applications and technologies including examples from Panasonic, Cognizant, QNX, Vayavya Labs, mimik, VicOne, and others.
- SOAFEE Integration Lab Remote lab facilities hosted at Linaro that allow SOAFEE software implementations to be validated against specifications and Blueprints. Runs compliance test suites on several platforms and supports CI for Blueprint development for member organizations.
- Unified HMI An open and standardized virtual display framework built upon VirtIO GPU that decouples human-machine interface (HMI) applications from specific hardware and coordinates them across different operating systems, displays, and ECUs. Contributed by Panasonic Automotive Systems.
- Open AD Kit The first SOAFEE Blueprint enabling open, cloud-native collaboration for autonomous driving. Built by Autoware Foundation members including Arm, AWS, Corellium, Red Hat, and Tier IV, it packages Autoware as OCI containers for deployment on SOAFEE-compliant platforms.
- PICCOLO Mixed Critical Orchestrator A Mixed Critical Orchestrator developed by LG Electronics that dynamically manages workloads within vehicles, enables optimal resource allocation, and ensures seamless operation of software at varying safety criticality levels.
Quantifiable outcome
- Vehicles with advanced driver assist systems generate petabyte-scale data requiring new infrastructure
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SOAFEE
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SOAFEE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
SOAFEE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and founding.
- HERE TechnologiescoreHERE joined SOAFEE to integrate AI-powered mapmaking and location intelligence into open software-defined vehicle platforms. HERE's geospatial technology including live maps and sensor fusion capabilities will be integrated into cloud-native vehicle software frameworks.
- RemotiveLabscoreRemotiveLabs joined to advance cloud-native, system-wide SDV development and earlier virtual validation across teams through lightweight virtualization of complete vehicle topologies.
- SibroscoreSibros joined SOAFEE to contribute its expertise in OTA updates, data logging, and diagnostics across mobility segments including passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, commercial fleets, and agricultural equipment.
- AdaCorecoreAdaCore joined to contribute expertise in high-integrity software development and formal verification to the SOAFEE ecosystem, helping ensure scalability and openness go hand in hand with safety and assurance.
- LG ElectronicscoreLG Electronics collaborated with SOAFEE to develop PICCOLO, a Mixed Critical Orchestrator that dynamically manages workloads within vehicles and enables optimal resource allocation across different software safety levels.
- General MotorsfoundingGM joined as a governing member to apply cloud-native development to diverse computing platforms for next-generation automotive and safety-critical systems, advancing software-defined vehicles and broader platform strategy.
- ArmfoundingArm founded SOAFEE as an industry-led initiative to bring cloud-native development to automotive. Arm provides the architectural foundation, reference hardware designs (RD-1AE), and ongoing technical leadership through its Technical Steering Committee involvement.
- Panasonic Automotive SystemscorePanasonic contributes to SOAFEE's cloud-native vehicle development with device virtualization and Unified HMI framework for cockpit software development.
- Red HatcoreRed Hat contributes its In-Vehicle Operating System and AutoSD (Automotive Grade Linux distribution) to SOAFEE, bringing safe Linux to the automotive market.
- AWScoreAWS participates as a governing body member providing cloud infrastructure expertise and collaboration on cloud-native automotive solutions.
- BoschcoreBosch participates as a governing body member contributing to automotive software and SDV development initiatives.
- CariadcoreCariad (Volkswagen Group's software company) contributes to open software-defined vehicle platform development as a governing body member.
- LinarocoreLinaro operates the SOAFEE Integration Lab providing remote lab facilities for members to validate SOAFEE-compliant implementations against specifications and ensure compliance using the SOAFEE test suite.
- QNXcoreQNX brings automotive-grade RTOS to Raspberry Pi via SOAFEE through its QNX Everywhere blueprint, closing the gap between rapid prototyping and production SDVs.
- CognizantcoreCognizant contributed a SOAFEE Blueprint enabling AI-driven, cloud-to-edge SDVs with scalable DevOps, portability, and faster innovation cycles.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SOAFEE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BlackBerry QNX: A leading commercial provider of safety-certified RTOS and automotive middleware, also a SOAFEE member contributing its QNX Everywhere blueprint. Comparable as a production-grade embedded automotive software platform competing for the same OEM slots.
- Wind River Systems: Long-standing provider of embedded real-time operating systems (VxWorks) and edge software platforms used in automotive and aerospace. Comparable as a commercial cloud-native edge platform alternative to SOAFEE's open architecture.
- SAE International: Global standards body for automotive and aerospace engineering (ISO/SAE 21434, J3061). Comparable as a higher-level automotive standards organization; SOAFEE implementations would typically map to SAE-defined safety and security standards.
Emerging players
- Apex.AI: Provides safety-certified automotive software platforms (Apex.OS) based on ROS 2. Overlaps with SOAFEE on cloud-native automotive middleware and is also a SOAFEE member; represents the commercial side of the standards SOAFEE helps define.
- Eclipse Foundation (SDV Working Group): Hosts multiple automotive-relevant open-source projects including Eclipse Kanto (IoT/edge) and the Software Defined Vehicle working group. Comparable as an open-source governance body enabling cloud-native automotive tooling.
- Khronos Group: An open standards consortium creating royalty-free APIs (Vulkan, OpenCL, VirtIO). Comparable to SOAFEE as an industry-led standards body, and notably the source of the VirtIO GPU standard underpinning SOAFEE's Unified HMI blueprint.
Direct peers
- COVESA (Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance): A Linux Foundation-connected industry alliance focused on open standards for connected vehicles, including in-vehicle infotainment, data, and vehicle-to-cloud interfaces. Directly comparable to SOAFEE as an open automotive standards consortium.
- AUTOSAR: The dominant global partnership standardizing automotive software architecture. AUTOSAR's Adaptive Platform overlaps directly with SOAFEE's cloud-native SDV scope, making it the closest competitor for OEM and Tier-1 standardization mindshare.
- Automotive Grade Linux (AGL): A collaborative open-source project building a Linux-based platform for in-vehicle applications. Members like Red Hat participate in both AGL and SOAFEE, and the projects overlap on Linux-based automotive software stacks.
- GENIVI Alliance: An industry alliance focused on developing an open in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and connected vehicle software platform. Comparable to SOAFEE as an open automotive software standards initiative, though more narrowly scoped to IVI.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SOAFEE social profiles
Digital presenceSOAFEE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SOAFEE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SOAFEE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SOAFEE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SOAFEE
What does SOAFEE do?
SOAFEE provides an open, hardware-agnostic architecture framework that brings cloud-native development practices to automotive software-defined vehicles. It delivers the EWAOL reference implementation, the SOAFEE Integration Lab for compliance testing, and a member-contributed Blueprints program with real-world implementations such as Unified HMI, Open AD Kit, and PICCOLO mixed-critical orchestrator. The initiative enables developers to build and test in the cloud and deploy seamlessly to vehicles across diverse hardware platforms.
Is SOAFEE a public or private company?
SOAFEE is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SOAFEE founded?
SOAFEE was founded in 2021.
Where is SOAFEE based?
SOAFEE is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SOAFEE make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Fees.
Who are SOAFEE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BlackBerry QNX, Wind River Systems and SAE International. Emerging players are Apex.AI, Eclipse Foundation (SDV Working Group) and Khronos Group. Direct peers are COVESA (Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance), AUTOSAR, Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) and GENIVI Alliance.
Does SOAFEE have an API?
No public API is recorded for SOAFEE.
What industry is SOAFEE in?
SOAFEE's product category is Automotive Software Standards. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAFAE, Embedded Software & Firmware Tools (Compilers, Debug, RTOS tooling), with a secondary code of BPAEAKAE, Cloud-Native Enablement (Containers, Kubernetes, Service Mesh). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7373.