Software-in-the-Loop Testing: Cost-Effective Simulation and Validation for Control Units
- Automobile
- Systèmes avancés d’aide à la conduite
- Conduite autonome
- Electromobilité
- Tests SIL
09:11min
Aperçu
How can you make testing faster and more efficient? This hands-on video addresses exactly that question. It introduces software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing as an efficient alternative to conventional test tracks and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) configurations. SIL makes it possible to test systems in a fully simulated environment early in the development cycle – without the need for ECU hardware. The software’s maturity is increased early on, which in turn helps reduce costs.
The video illustrates how the dSPACE VEOS platform integrates virtual control units, system and environmental models, and bus communication simulation within the dSPACE VEOS platform, and demonstrates how the entire functional behavior can be validated virtually at the system level. Key workflows include the interaction of control units via all automotive buses (CAN, LIN, FlexRay, and Ethernet), the monitoring of messages, and fault simulation for detecting communication errors.
Furthermore, the scalability of the method for advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving scenarios is introduced through comprehensive sensor simulation. Tools such as physics-based radar and lidar models, environment synchronization, and scenario configuration enable realistic perception tests for the Sense-Plan-Act pipeline.
Hôtes
Gernot Müller Szicsay
Field Application Engineer, dSPACE GmbH
Felix Engel
Lead Business Field Manager SIL Testing, dSPACE
FAQ
Q1: What is a software-in-the-loop test?
A1: This is a simulation-based testing method in which the system under test interacts with virtual models of other components, thereby enabling the validation of vehicle functionalities. SIL tests can also be integrated into CI/CT pipelines.
Q2: Can costs be reduced by implementing software-in-the-loop?
A2: Yes, SIL enables functional testing early in the development process. This allows problems to be identified and resolved sooner. The increasing maturity of the software also frees up valuable HIL resources and creates room for validation, despite growing software complexity.
Q3: What can I test in SIL? Where does SIL shine and what are its limitations?
A3: The essence of the answer is already contained in the name “software-in-the-loop.” In principle, any type of software can be tested. Certain functions are simulated and do not physically exist. This means that SIL is suitable for applications in a wide variety of fields – from industry and measurement technology to automotive development, as shown in the example.
The phrase “in the loop” highlights where SIL’s strengths lie: wherever feedback or control loops play a role. In other words, SIL is particularly well-suited for situations in which software functions correctly only in interaction with external influences.
These can include, for example, currents for electric motors, or camera and radar sensor data for automated driving functions. Whenever a realistic simulation of system behavior or input data is required, SIL demonstrates its strengths.
Q4: Can bus communication be monitored and controlled within the setup?
A4: Yes, bus communication is fully simulated, and engineers can inject faults, monitor data traffic, and validate diagnostic responses.
Q5: Does the solution include sensor simulation?
A5: Yes, with radar and lidar models integrated into dynamic scenarios that support the evaluation of the “Sense-Plan-Act” pipeline.
