ACRN v2.0, released in June 2020, introduced a hybrid operating mode for industrial IoT and edge systems: ordinary virtual machines could share resources while selected workloads used partitioned resources for stronger isolation. The release also added Safety VM and real-time VM support, device and graphics virtualization features, shared-memory communication, and orchestration options. Its functional-safety milestone was TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH’s approval of ACRN’s safety concept—not evidence in the cited announcement that final IEC 61508 certification was completed.
What is ACRN?
ACRN is an open-source Type 1 reference hypervisor stack for consolidating workloads on embedded systems. Type 1 means the hypervisor runs directly on the hardware rather than as an application hosted by a general-purpose operating system. ACRN divides a system into functional domains and uses an ACRN Device Model to emulate virtual devices and mediate I/O.
The project describes ACRN as a lightweight platform built with real-time and safety-critical applications in mind. Its materials describe guests including Linux, Windows, Android, and real-time operating systems (RTOSes). ACRN v2.0’s June 24, 2020 release article specifically named Windows 10, Ubuntu, Android, and VxWorks among its supported guest options.
What changed in ACRN v2.0?
The central change was hybrid mode, intended for systems that need to consolidate workloads without treating every workload alike. A deployment could share resources among conventional VMs while reserving and partitioning resources for workloads with stricter isolation or safety needs.
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#1 Best Overall
- Dual-Core Performance Up to 240 MHz: Run sensor processing, wireless communication, automation logic and connected-device tasks on a 32-bit dual-core ESP32 platform designed for responsive embedded and IoT projects
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2: Connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks or use Bluetooth Classic and BLE for wireless sensors, smart devices, remote controls, home automation and other connected projects
- Flexible Power-Saving Modes: ESP32 power-management features support dynamic clock scaling and low-power operating modes, helping developers reduce energy use in compatible sensing, monitoring and connected-device applications, suitable for battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
- USB-C Programming with CP2102: Connect through USB-C for power, sketch uploads and serial monitoring, while GPIO, UART, SPI and I2C interfaces support sensors, displays, motor drivers and other modules (USB-C cable not included)
- Over-the-Air Update Support: Configure OTA functionality through a compatible ESP-32 software framework to update deployed firmware over Wi-Fi without reconnecting the board by USB for every revision
| Mode or workload | Resource approach | Intended use |
|---|---|---|
| Shared-resource VMs | VMs share system resources under the hypervisor. | Consolidating workloads that do not require dedicated partitioning. |
| Partitioned workloads | Resources are assigned to support stronger isolation. | Workloads requiring a more controlled execution environment, including safety-oriented use cases. |
| Hybrid deployment | Combines sharing and partitioning on one system. | Mixed-criticality industrial and edge systems with different workload requirements. |
The release also highlighted a pre-launched Safety VM, post-launched VMs through OVMF, and support for post-launched real-time VMs with real-time performance optimizations. These are deployment capabilities, not a guarantee that any particular application will meet its latency or safety targets; those depend on the hardware, configuration, workload, and validation.
Device, graphics, and communication features
- CPU sharing: The release added CPU-sharing capabilities alongside partitioning options.
- SR-IOV: Support for Single Root I/O Virtualization can expose virtual functions from compatible devices to VMs; device and platform support still matter.
- Graphics: The release listed graphics passthrough and shared graphics.
- Inter-VM communication: Shared memory can provide a communication path between VMs.
- Boot and configuration: GRUB bootloader and configuration-tool support were included in the release feature list.
What did the functional-safety announcement establish?
On July 21, 2020, the Linux Foundation announced that TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH had approved ACRN’s functional-safety concept, design, and management process. The announcement quoted the concept letter: “ACRN Hypervisor is able to fulfill the requirements in accordance with SIL 3 of the IEC 61508 standard.”
Rank #2
- Certified & Future-Ready: Espressif-certified ESP32-WROOM-32E ensures full hardware compatibility and lifetime firmware support. Upgraded 8MB Flash handles IoT data and OTA updates.
- Dual-Core Speed: 240MHz dual-core processor runs Wi-Fi/BLE and sensors 2x faster. 38 GPIO pins (10 RTC) support SPI/I2C/UART for LCDs, motors, and industrial sensors.
- Plug & Play Dev: USB-C driver pre-installed: upload code instantly on Windows/Mac/Linux. Works with Arduino IDE, MicroPython, and Espressif IDF.
- All-Environment Ready: Run Wi-Fi smart switches (Home Assistant) and BLE tracking on one board. Industrial-grade stability (-40°C~85°C) for outdoor/automated systems.
- Advantages: The ESP32 development board offers high performance, low power consumption, and rich wireless connectivity, making it suitable for developers of all levels, especially beginners.
This is a statement about the assessed concept’s ability to fulfill requirements, not a statement that ACRN had already received final IEC 61508 certification. The same announcement said the project was on track for final certification by the end of 2020, but the sources cited here do not establish whether that certification was subsequently completed. A system integrator should therefore confirm the applicable certification status, scope, evidence, and lifecycle documentation for the exact ACRN version and target system before relying on it for a safety case.
Can ACRN run real-time and non-real-time workloads together?
That mixed-use case was a central motivation for v2.0’s hybrid mode. The release combined support for real-time VMs and safety-oriented partitioning with shared-resource VMs, allowing a design to consolidate workloads with different criticality levels on one platform.
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“Real-time” does not by itself specify a deadline, worst-case latency, or scheduling guarantee. ACRN v2.0’s feature announcement cited performance optimizations but did not establish a universal latency figure. Evaluate the actual processor and peripherals, VM configuration, interrupt and I/O paths, workload interference, and application deadlines on the intended system. Functional-safety suitability also requires evidence for the complete system and development process, not just selection of a hypervisor feature.
Which operating systems and orchestration tools work with ACRN?
ACRN project materials describe Linux, Windows, Android, and RTOS guests. For the v2.0 release, the named guest examples included Windows 10, Ubuntu, Android, and VxWorks. Guest support depends on the ACRN version, hardware, device model, and configuration; confirm the current compatibility details in project or vendor documentation for a planned deployment.
Rank #4
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- Ultra-Low power consumption, Compatible with Arduino IDE
- ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
The v2.0 release listed VM orchestration through tools such as OpenStack. It also added Kata Containers support, with Docker or Kubernetes orchestration described for Kata-based container deployments. These are related but distinct paths: OpenStack can manage VMs, whereas Kata Containers uses lightweight VMs to provide isolation for containers and can be orchestrated through Docker or Kubernetes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is ACRN commercially supported?
ACRN itself is an open-source project and reference hypervisor; that does not imply a single centralized commercial support service for every build or deployment. A commercial offering based on it is available: Project ACRN says TTTech Industrial made ACRN 2.0 available in Nerve Blue, its supported industrial edge-computing platform for Intel processors. TTTech’s announcement described the integration as targeting functional safety, real-time processing, and flexible resource sharing. Support terms, hardware coverage, and safety documentation should be checked with the vendor for the specific current product offering.
Best Value
- D1 Mini NodeMCU Type-C ESP32 WLAN WiFi Bluetooth IoT Development Board 5V Compatible for Arduino
- Designed with ultra-low power technology, it offers the full range of performance and features of the ESP32 chip. The pin arrangement provides compatibility with the modules developed for the D1 Mini ESP8266 while also offering fast WLAN, enhanced GPIO, Bluetooth functionality, and with its higher performance, a wider range of applications.
- 100% compatible with Arudino IDE, Lua and Micropython, it shows robustness, versatility, and reliability in a wide variety of applications and power scenarios.
- All I/O pins have interrupt, PWM, I2C and one-wire capability, except the pin DO.
- Designed with ultra-low power technology, it offers the full range of performance and features of the ESP32 chip. The pin arrangement provides compatibility with the modules developed for the D1 Mini ESP8266 while also offering fast WLAN, enhanced GPIO, Bluetooth functionality, and with its higher performance, a wider range of applications.
How small is ACRN?
A 2018 Project ACRN overview compared the hypervisor’s approximately 27,000 lines of code with fewer than 156,000 lines for datacenter-centric hypervisors. Treat these as the project’s own approximate code-size comparison, not an independently audited count or a benchmark of performance, security, or safety. A smaller codebase can be relevant to system complexity, but it does not by itself establish that an implementation is easier to certify or safer.
Quick Recap
What to verify before choosing ACRN
- Isolation: Decide which VMs can share resources and which require partitioning, then validate the design against system-level requirements.
- Timing: Define measurable latency and deadline targets and test them on the intended hardware under representative load.
- Safety evidence: Confirm the precise TÜV assessment or certification status, applicable version and scope, and required evidence for the complete product.
- Devices and graphics: Check support for required passthrough, sharing, SR-IOV, and I/O mediation on the selected platform.
- Guests and management: Verify the guest OS and orchestration stack against the exact ACRN release and hardware.
- Support model: Choose between project/community resources and a vendor-supported distribution such as Nerve Blue, based on the project’s maintenance and response needs.
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