Abstract
KEYWORDS – Infotainment and Telematics, ADAS and Autonomous Driving (AD), Automated Testing, Cyber Security, Functional Safety
ABSTRACT –
The paper will focus on the current and future challenges to complex Connected Vehicle system integration efforts in the space of Infotainment, Telematics, ADAS, and Autonomous Driving. The importance of Functional Safety and Cyber Security for Connected Vehicles is growing very fast and impacting the design process but also integration and validation methods where automated validation is becoming a key tool for successful system and vehicle launches.
ENGINEERING QUESTIONS/OBJECTIONS
With the emergence of ever more connected vehicle technologies as well as the interconnectedness of various features and systems in and outside of the car, the integration, validation, and testing of the connected vehicle needs new tools and methods. This paper answers the question of how does one use modern automation technologies to test and validate numerous complex technology components and features of modern cars to assure safety and reliability and stay within the given development product life-cycle time available.
METHODOLOGY
The detailed development or analysis of requirements for the complete end-to-end system is becoming more critical than ever. Strict processes for this task is critical and ensures success for the development and validation teams in later stages of the project. Through the combination of individual test and simulation tools (i.e. cellular simulators, GPS simulators, etc.) into a connected vehicle HIL test system, it is possible to simulate and model components and systems well before actual test vehicles become available. RESULTS Ability to start integration and test and validation efforts is moved up by at least six months compared with the current start time of such efforts in the development plan for such complex systems. Test time reductions of up to 67% with some of these automation tools have been observed. In order to meet safety and reliability requirements, functional safety considerations and test automation are a must for the future.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Automation technology and capability will not replace the need for vehicle level and field testing performed by humans. The current state of automated testing capabilities for connected vehicle features and functions is feasibly only at 75%; but expected to improve in the future.
UNIQUENESS OF THE PAPER
Whereas automated testing and validation with HIL systems is common for the last 15 years for powertrain applications, the use of very similar methodologies and tools in the connected vehicle system space is not. This paper shines the light on the complexity and challenges of a connected vehicle system and the importance of using a similar approach.
CONCLUSIONS
The ability to model and automate the integration, validation, and testing efforts associated with a connected vehicle system including functional safety, cyber security, and ADAS and AD is very much possible. In addition, besides the feasibility of using automation to reduce test time and increase safety and reliability, such methodologies and usage of tools is critical for successful connected vehicle launches.