Image
Yoshihiko Awazu
Engineer
Published: July 29, 2020

Renesas launched the "Engineering Community Site for R-Car" on July 1, 2020, as a new technical support mechanism based on open community. The eLinux (Embedded Linux Wiki) site provides hardware and software information for the R-Car Gen3 based on the R-Car Starter Kit. It guides customers and partners to purchasing sites for the R-Car Starter Kit and R-Car software download pages for quick set-up of the R-Car working environment.

Renesas also established a new R-Car H3/M3 (cockpit) group on Renesas Rulz, a forum for Renesas users, in order to enable the exchange of information between R-Car users, solve questions and issues raised on the eLinux site by themselves. Renesas quickly assists R-Car users in prototype development with R-Car Starter Kit through R-Car ecosystem activity.

Image
r-car-engineering-community

Figure 1. R-Car Engineering Community

In the past, Renesas received several questions from R-Car users during the development and evaluation phase with the R-Car Starter Kit, the reference design of Renesas R-Car (See the bottom of this page for where to buy the R-Car Starter Kit). 

Frequently asked questions are:
 ・From which location can R-Car users get R-Car software and documentation?
 ・How to start up the R-Car Starter Kit smoothly?
 ・Where is the Q&A site? How to raise a question?

Renesas launched the "Engineering Community Site for R-Car" on July 1, 2020, in order to answer these questions, enabling easy evaluation of R-Car. The Engineering Community Site for R-Car consists of two websites, eLinux and Renesas Rulz. eLinux delivers R-Car technical information such as setup guides, documentation and software, and Renesas Rulz is a forum type of website, where R-Car users can exchange technical information with each other, and solve problems and issues.

eLinux contains the R-Car Starter Kit page and provides its information including Linux BSP (Board Support Package), OSS (Open Source Software) documentation (H3 page/M3 page) and guide document on  how to set-up the R-Car Starter Kit. Information from eLinux site enables smooth set-up of the  R-Car Starter Kit for R-Car users. eLinux can be accessed by searching for “R-Car” on eLinux main page or by searching for “R-Car eLinux” on a search engine.

Image
r-car-boards-yocto-gen3

Figure 2. eLinux page

Even though eLinux provides R-Car technical information, R-Car users may have questions during the set-up of the development environment with the R-Car Starter Kit. Renesas has created a new Q&A community on Renesas Rulz, the R-Car H3/M3 (Cockpit) Group, to solve this issue. This group comprises open community members, R-Car Consortium partners, and Renesas community members. Those members can solve questions and issues by working together.

Image
renesas-rulz-cockpit

Figure 3. Renesas Rulz Cockpit TOP Page and Current Members

By using the new services, R-Car users can set up R-Car Starter Kit quickly and proceed development process easier than ever before. Additionally, Renesas has also started two new corners on eLinux: FAQ and the R-Car Gen3 demo information (Gallery) corners.

The FAQ corner allows R-Car users to refer to FAQs and get answers without a Q&A process. The Gallery corner provides information on the R-Car Starter Kit solutions.

Renesas also plans to provide Android BSP in addition to Linux BSP, which is currently provided. Renesas would like to request R-Car users develop demo solutions with these BSPs on R-Car Starter Kit, upload demo information to the Gallery, and hope that the demo information expands collaboration between R-Car users.

Renesas continues to support R-Car users through the Engineering Community service.

※ Renesas announced Shimafuji (H3/M3 page) as W/W distributor of R-Car Starter Kit addition to Marutsu (H3 page/M3 page) as distributor for Japanese users.

Image
r-car-starter-kit-pro

※Renesas and R-Car Consortium partners provide valuable services to R-Car users based on R-Car Consortium Ecosystem. Renesas plans to introduce the 2020 Proactive Partnership activity in August 2020. (Please refer to the press release page of the R-Car Consortium activity of last year.)

※Renesas Rulz is a service in the open community and can treat only information related to OSS, which is not covered by NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement). In case of NDA information, please contact Renesas sales or distributors.

Share this news on