What is HIL Testing?

Hardware-in-the-loop testing means the tests of real ECUs (electronic control units) in a realistic simulated environment. These tests are reproducible and can be automated which leads to 24/7 comprehensive testing in the laboratory, shortens validation times, and increases the range of test scenarios. Additionally testing critical corner cases can be done without creating safety problems for the device-under-test or the environment.

Advantages of HIL Testing
  • Test systems scalable from small to large
  • Simulation of the complete vehicle or integration of real components
  • Communication testing
  • Bus and restbus simulation

Typical HIL Test System

A HIL system comprises of the simulation hardware and the accompanying software. Connected to the system is the unit under test, which usually is one or more electronic control units (ECUs) containing new functions or ECU software to be tested. Depending on the use case, further real hardware components can be added to the test system, e.g., steering or the brake system.

 

Schematic overview of a typical HIL system with its components.

Test Management

  • SYNECT
    SYNECT

    Data management and collaboration software with a focus on model-based development and ECU

Platform and I/O Configuration

  • ConfigurationDesk
    ConfigurationDesk

    Configuration and implementation software for dSPACE real-time hardware

  • Bus Manager
    Bus Manager

    Configuration tool for LIN, CAN, and CAN FD bus simulation

  • dSPACE Ethernet Configuration Package
    dSPACE Ethernet Configuration Package

    With the dSPACE Ethernet Configuration Package, you can configure a dSPACE system as a simulation node in a service-oriented Ethernet network.

  • dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package
    dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package

    The dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package is used to integrate dSPACE hardware as simulation or monitoring nodes in a FlexRay network.

Experimentation and Visualization

  • ControlDesk
    ControlDesk

    Universal modular experiment and instrumentation software for electronic control unit (ECU) development

  • ModelDesk
    ModelDesk

    Graphical user interface for parameterization, management, and simulation

Test Automation

  • AutomationDesk
    AutomationDesk

    Powerful test authoring and automation tool for HIL testing of ECUs

SCALEXIO Real-Time and I/O Hardware

  • SCALEXIO LabBox
    SCALEXIO LabBox

    The SCALEXIO LabBox is a compact, modular real-time system for desktop or rack-mount use.

  • SCALEXIO Rack System
    SCALEXIO Rack System

    The SCALEXIO rack system is very flexible due to extensive I/O features. All hardware is software-configurable, making it easy to adapt the system to changing project requirements.

  • 
SCALEXIO Customized System
    SCALEXIO Customized System

    The dSPACE SCALEXIO customized system is a highly versatile hardware-in-the-loop simulator that offers a comprehensive range of adaption and configuration options to meet customer-specific requirements.

  • Power HIL Systems
    Power HIL Systems

    Testing electric motor controllers, including power electronics with emulated motors and real currents.

  • Mechatronic Test Benches
    Mechatronic Test Benches

    dSPACE provides highly dynamic turn-key test benches for mechatronic components and systems.

Simulation Model

  • Automotive Simulation Models (ASM)
    Automotive Simulation Models (ASM)

    Tool suite for simulating the engine, vehicle dynamics, electrical system, and traffic environment

  • AURELION
    AURELION

    The dSPACE solution for sensor-realistic simulation offers powerful visualization and physical computation functions for generating synthetic sensor data in virtual test drives.

Deep Dive – Test Phases and Test Systems in HIL Simulations

Function Testing

Function testing focuses on testing single or a few functions, including their interaction with ECU basic software. Since this kind of testing is typically an integral part of function development rather than final release testing, its focus lies on experimental usage, without systematic test automation. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test systems for function testing therefore require versatile bus and network interfaces, restbus simulation on the behavior and protocol levels, or design-for-test interfaces (e.g., XCP). These types of tests are often performed by the function developers themselves and must fit on a developer’s desk.

ECU Component Testing

Typical applications for ECU tests range from software integration testing through fail-safe and fail-operational testing, to ECU release testing. Testing is therefore highly automated and based on ECU requirements to cover the high number of variants.

Test systems for ECU testing require scalable I/O and bus/network interfaces including electrical failure simulation. Furthermore, testing of buses and networks requires restbus simulation on the behavior and protocol level as well as extensive manipulation.

Testing of real components requires comprehensive plant models and simulation performance that can be increased accordingly. Ideally, the test system functions can be adapted to changing project requirements.

ECU Domain and Network Testing

ECU domain and network testing is characterized by end-to-end testing of distributed functions. This includes sleep or wake-up tests as well as fail-safe and fail-operational tests of the vehicle’s ECU network. The need for an extensive range of I/O channels as well as bus and network interfaces is characteristic for these kinds of test systems.

A multitude of plant models must be processed time-synchronously on several clustered real-time systems. To handle complex models and scenarios, strong simulation performance and multiprocessor capabilities are required. 

ECU network testing systems often run highly automated test programs around the clock, made possible by comprehensive test management systems.

Application Areas

The dSPACE HIL systems are suitable for a wide range of application areas, from automotive topics to aerospace to railway and marine.

 

E-Mobility

  • 充電テクノロジ

    スマート充電テクノロジの開発およびテスト

  • バッテリマネージメントシステム

    電気自動車用バッテリマネージメントシステムの開発とテスト

  • 水素燃料電池

    電気自動車用燃料電池テクノロジの開発とテスト

  • 電源の管理

    電気自動車に関連するDC/DCコンバータおよびその他のパワーエレクトロニクスコンポーネントの開発とテスト

  • トラクションモーター

    dSPACEの開発環境を使用すると、車両のメイントラクションユニット向けドライブの開発とテストを、信号レベルからフルパワーレベルまで、極めて柔軟にサポートすることができます。

Autonomous Driving

  • dSPACEの自動運転機能開発用HIL

    dSPACEでは、自動運転用高性能コンピュータ(HPC)をクローズドループおよびオープンループでテストするための総合的なポートフォリオを提供しています。

Automotive Core

  • Powertrain

    dSPACE offers hardware and software solutions for prototyping, developing, and testing all kind of powertrain systems.

  • 車両のコネクティビティ

    dSPACEソリューションを使用すると、どのような通信テクノロジを実装するかに関わらず、コネクテッドカーをすばやく市場投入できるようになります。

  • 自動車通信システム

    dSPACEでは、レストバスシミュレーション、仮想バスシミュレーション、バス通信テストなどの課題に対応する幅広いソフトウェアおよびハードウェアソリューションを提供しています。

  • ボディおよび快適性能用エレクトロニクス

    dPSACEは、車両のボディおよび快適性能用エレクトロニクスの開発とテストに最適なツールを提供しています。

  • シャシ

    新しいシャシ制御方式を開発およびテストする際には、運転の安全性、快適性、機敏性の向上のため、ステアリング、ブレーキ、ホイールサスペンションなどの複数のコンポーネントを考慮する必要があります。

On- & Offroad Commercial Vehicles

  • 商用車およびオフハイウェイ車両

    トラック、バス、オフハイウェイ車両など商用車向けの柔軟でスケーラブルな開発およびテストソリューション

Aerospace

  • 電動飛行

    未来の航空輸送の実現

  • 航空機システム

    航空機システムは、さまざまな飛行状況で多数のセーフティクリティカルな機能を実行します。dSPACEのハードウェアおよびソフトウェア製品は、これらのシステムの安全な動作を保証する重要な役割を果たしています。

  • 宇宙

    最も厳しい基準を適用しながら宇宙飛行の未来を構築

Industrial Automation and Transportation

  • エネルギー産業

    エネルギーインフラ向け技術の開発とテスト

  • 鉄道産業

    鉄道用の代替ドライブや自動運転機能の開発とテスト

  • 海洋産業

    船舶向けの代替推進システムや自動運転機能の開発とテスト

  • 機械および動力工具

    Comprehensive solutions for machinery and power tools to bring ideas to life, ranging from control prototyping, model-based production software development, digital twins to test benches for full-power testing.

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What our customers say

Further Information

Videos

Our videos on HIL testing cover short feature demonstrations, interviews, and detailed technical introductions.

Watch our videos on HIL Testing

Use Cases

Our use cases give an even deeper insight of what you can do with hardware-in-the-loop systems.

Discover our HIL testing use cases

Success Stories

Our customers success stories give you an overview of the wide range of application scenarios dSPACE HIL simulators are being used in.

Read more about HIL success stories

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