Best Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) Vendors (2020)

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Lynx Software Technologies has built and supported real-time operating systems (RTOSes) since 1988. We have witnessed hardware and embedded software technologies evolve and have supported our customers through the design, development, integration, certification, deployment, and support of software systems across mission-critical applications in avionics, industrial, automotive, medical, and other markets. We talk with many different companies across these markets every year. Over time, we have learned that— depending on the type of system being built—our technologies and products may not always provide the best fit. And that’s OK.

We want you to choose Lynx products because they make the most sense for your project and understanding your options is critical to that process.

It is not uncommon for companies to ask us, "If we were to not use your products, who would you recommend?" Therefore,  with our customers in mind—and with a sincere respect to the companies listed below—here is a list of who we regard as our most solid competitors in the safety-critical embedded systems space, in alphabetical order.

• BlackBerry Limited
• Offering: QNX
• History:
• QNX was originally developed in the 1980s by Canadian company Quantum Software Systems and later renamed QNX Software Systems. QNX Software Systems was acquired by Harmon International Industries in 2004. In 2010 QNX was acquired by BlackBerry Limited (originally known as Research In Motion) from Harman.
• QNX is not a part of the FACE consortium, which is a US-only standards body working with the US Department of Defense.
• HQ Location: Ottowa, ON, Canada
• Market focuses:
• Automotive
• Medical
• Industrial Automation
• Defense & Security
• Railway
• DDC-I, Inc.
• Safety-Critical RTOS Offering: Deos
• History:
• DDC-I was established in 1979 in Denmark, and entered the RTOS market in 2008 when it acquired Deos from Honeywell International.
• DDC-I is a member of the FACE Consortium, which is a US-only standards body working with the US Department of Defense.
• HQ Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
• Market focuses:
• Aerospace & Defense
• Space Technologies
• Medical
• Industrial Devices
• Automotive
• SYSGO GmbH
• Offering: PikeOS
• History:
• Founded in 1991, PikeOS has been a product offering since 2005. SYSGO is part of the European Thales Group.
• SYSGO is not a part of the FACE Consortium, which is a US-only standards body working with the US Department of Defense.
• HQ Location: Klein-Winternheim, Germany
• Market focuses:
• Aerospace & Defense
• Automotive
• Railway
• Industrial
• Medical
• Wind River Systems
• Safety-Critical RTOS Offering: VxWorks 653
• History:
• An independent company from 1983 to 2009, purchased by Intel in 2009, and sold to TPG Capital in 2018.
• WRS is a member of the FACE Consortium, which is a US-only standards body working with the US Department of Defense.
• HQ Location: Alameda, CA, USA
• Market focuses:
• Aerospace & Defense
• Automotive
• Industrial
• Medical
• Telecommunications

You may also wish to look at these resources when considering your RTOS options:

• Do You Need an RTOS
• How to Choose a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)
• What is the Cost of a Board Support Package (BSP)?
• What Are the Benefits of POSIX for Embedded Systems?
• What is a DO-178B/C Reusable Software Component (RSC)?
• What Is SR-IOV and Why Is It Important for Embedded Devices?
• Overarching Properties - An Alternative to DO-178
• Realizing Modern Automotive Software Environments
• POSIX Processes and Virtual Memory
• Embedded Best Practices Demonstrated at Arm TechCon 2019
• Mitigating the "Noisy Neighbor" with Cache Allocation Technology (CAT)
• Lynx MOSA.ic - Delivering the Modular Open System Approach (MOSA)
• Design Prevails - Protecting Systems from Meltdown and Spectre
• CAST-32A - Significance and Implications