Abstract
Distributed computer systems are controlling an increasing number and broad range of, for example, automotive applications. The diversity of requirements has brought a need for application specific protocols, e.g. system electronics, body electronics and safety related applications such as drive by wire and also diagnostics. Some protocols are designed for high flexibility while others concentrate on dependability issues such as a deterministic behavior and reliability. QWIK Real-time control, QRcontrol, is a novel communication concept that aims to be cost efficient and flexible, with insignificant overhead even for high dependability requirements in automotive applications. The protocol design has been aimed to simplify the development for higher requirements, e.g. dependability. This paper presents the QRcontrol protocol, the principles of operation, performance and the good base for dependability and extensibility. Furthermore, the protocol performs well using the SAE control benchmark [3], which is one way to compare different protocols.