Case Study

Validation of EPS system using LEVEL 3 Virtual ECU

Shift Left: Accelerate Validation and Testing in the Software Development Process

Background

The transformative role of Virtual ECU validation and testing in modern automotive development heralds a new era of efficiency and precision. As a leading supplier of Electronic Power Steering (EPS) systems, our client embarked on pioneering the development of an advanced Virtual ECU environment. This innovative approach aimed at facilitating preemptive software validation, integrating seamlessly with CI/CD workflows, and providing virtual twins for OEM engagements. The focus was to enable sophisticated simulations of CAN bus communication and diagnostic services, ensuring thorough validation of application-level functionalities within an authentic automotive software simulation framework.

Challenge

The core challenge lay in finding a software provider capable of delivering a bespoke solution rapidly. Traditional hardware development cycles, notorious for their protracted timelines, often hinder timely software validation due to hardware unavailability. Moreover, the requisite for iterative testing across various scenarios, necessitating frequent test setup modifications, presented significant logistical hurdles, amplifying both the complexity and duration of the development process.

Solution

Tata Elxsi devised an initial Level 1 virtualisation environment, quickly escalating to the development of a Level 3 Virtual ECU using dSPACE tools, specifically engineered for the client's EPS software requirements. This Virtual ECU Testing paradigm enabled early-stage software validation, devoid of hardware dependencies, thus significantly expediting the validation process and enhancing developmental efficacy in automotive systems. Our solution, intricately woven into the CI/CD pipeline, facilitated regular software iterations and improvements, maintaining development agility. Through meticulous testing of both basic software and application layers, we assured unparalleled system robustness.

Impact

Implementing the Level 3 Virtual ECU, which incorporates the vast majority of production code except for hardware-specific components, marked a paradigm shift in Automotive Electronics development. The Virtual ECU's simulation capabilities, mirroring real-hardware operations, integrated with Virtual Validation Services within the CI/CD framework, streamlined the software development cycle significantly. This integration not only optimised the validation process but also culminated in a remarkable 20% cost reduction, setting a new benchmark in automotive software development efficiency.

Where are we now

This innovative approach helped our client to advance the validation of functions and the entirety of Virtual ECU software to the initial stages of the development lifecycle. By streamlining simulations, our solution obviates the dependency on alternative methods that rely on ECU target binary files. Consequently, this also grants our client the flexibility to implement modifications at any juncture within the development process, significantly enhancing adaptability and responsiveness to evolving requirements.

Services rendered

Tata Elxsi

Software-in-the-loop validation
CI/CD based Systems Integration
Testing of BSW and application components
Automated Test Framework
ECU Virtualisation