linux-drivers/
drivers/platform/chrome

ChromeOS platform and Embedded Controller support

Vendor platform support for Google's Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, including the ChromeOS Embedded Controller (cros_ec) that handles keyboard, battery, charging, sensors, firmware updates, and other board-level functions. It underpins essentially every ChromeOS device shipped from the early 2010s through current 2025 models.

keep conf=0.94 deploy=high replacement=none subsystem=platform category=platform-vendor
94%

recommendation

It should stay because this is the in-tree home for ChromeOS-specific platform glue, including the Chrome Embedded Controller (cros_ec) interface used on every Chromebook and Chromebox. Upstream work continued through late 2025 and into 2026, and Google's partners (such as Lenovo, which launched a new Chromebook Plus in June 2025) keep shipping fresh hardware that depends on this code. There is no replacement subsystem covering the same scope.

repository signals

53 files
20,197 source lines
331 commits, 5y
+8,648 / −1,939 lines added / removed, 5y
84 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 331 total · active in 54/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 0 commits · +0 −0 2021-05: 2 commits · +118 −1 2021-06: 0 commits · +0 −0 2021-07: 0 commits · +0 −0 2021-08: 2 commits · +8 −25 2021-09: 9 commits · +93 −123 2021-10: 3 commits · +17 −25 2021-11: 1 commit · +8 −11 2021-12: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-01: 6 commits · +318 −114 2022-02: 12 commits · +97 −80 2022-03: 1 commit · +42 −10 2022-04: 1 commit · +3 −0 2022-05: 16 commits · +747 −70 2022-06: 32 commits · +2,518 −251 2022-07: 15 commits · +594 −103 2022-08: 18 commits · +502 −38 2022-09: 1 commit · +7 −1 2022-10: 3 commits · +174 −24 2022-11: 11 commits · +25 −15 2022-12: 14 commits · +626 −115 2023-01: 14 commits · +135 −28 2023-02: 1 commit · +1 −1 2023-03: 5 commits · +14 −13 2023-04: 3 commits · +34 −12 2023-05: 5 commits · +21 −11 2023-06: 1 commit · +1 −7 2023-07: 3 commits · +29 −2 2023-08: 2 commits · +32 −3 2023-09: 14 commits · +55 −51 2023-10: 8 commits · +138 −48 2023-11: 3 commits · +52 −24 2023-12: 3 commits · +22 −67 2024-01: 1 commit · +2 −2 2024-02: 2 commits · +23 −4 2024-03: 16 commits · +128 −58 2024-04: 9 commits · +102 −33 2024-05: 5 commits · +74 −9 2024-06: 12 commits · +325 −88 2024-07: 2 commits · +12 −0 2024-08: 2 commits · +30 −13 2024-09: 3 commits · +3 −7 2024-10: 3 commits · +18 −17 2024-11: 2 commits · +173 −10 2024-12: 11 commits · +560 −89 2025-01: 6 commits · +169 −81 2025-02: 4 commits · +102 −2 2025-03: 5 commits · +46 −63 2025-04: 5 commits · +36 −4 2025-05: 2 commits · +5 −2 2025-06: 5 commits · +32 −11 2025-07: 6 commits · +122 −42 2025-08: 6 commits · +86 −64 2025-09: 0 commits · +0 −0 2025-10: 3 commits · +28 −6 2025-11: 1 commit · +11 −0 2025-12: 1 commit · +3 −1 2026-01: 6 commits · +112 −43 2026-02: 4 commits · +15 −17 2026-03: 0 commits · +0 −0 2026-04: 0 commits · +0 −0

sources

  1. git.kernel.org

    The directory is the in-tree Linux platform-driver stack for Chrome hardware, explicitly covering Chromebooks/Chromeboxes and ChromeOS Embedded Controller support.

  2. lore.kernel.org

    Patch traffic in April 2026 shows active maintenance in this directory (`platform/chrome: cros_ec_lpc: fix reference leak on failed device registration`).

  3. lore.kernel.org

    Core `cros_ec.c` continued to receive substantive upstream work in late 2025 (`Protect cros_ec_device lifecycle with revocable`), indicating ongoing subsystem investment rather than retirement.

  4. support.google.com

    Google's Chromebook support documentation states newer Chromebook models receive long update support windows, showing the platform is still current rather than legacy-only.

  5. news.lenovo.com

    Lenovo announced a new Chromebook Plus model on June 23, 2025, confirming new ChromeOS hardware launches in the relevant period.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Keep. This is an active vendor/platform subsystem for live ChromeOS hardware, not a legacy orphan. `drivers/platform/chrome/Kconfig` (kernel.org URL cited via canonical recall from local tree) names Chromebooks/Chromeboxes and multiple active ChromeOS platform functions. Lore evidence came from `lore_regex` on `^diff --git a/drivers/platform/chrome/` and `lore_file_timeline` on `drivers/platform/chrome/cros_ec.c`, which showed frequent 2025-2026 fixes/refactors; no removal series was verified. A `lore_regex` removal-subject query timed out and a fallback `lei` query could not run in the sandbox, so I treat removal-discussion evidence as absent rather than disproven. Deployment evidence came from web search results on official Google Chromebook support and Lenovo's 2025 Chromebook launch page. No single upstream replacement covers the same ChromeOS EC/platform-device scope.