What is the Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module?
The Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module is an optional software module for the dSPACE Smart Charging Solution for testing Plug & Charge scenarios in the context of electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The software module lets you test advanced features as described in the ISO 15118-2 charging communication standard, including Plug & Charge (PnC) and value-added services (VAS). These features require transport layer security (TLS) encryption and certificate handling, which are both supported by the dSPACE test solution.
For certificate handling, dSPACE offers a customizable, ready-to-use dSPACE public key infrastructure (PKI) and supports working with different third-party PKIs, e.g., the non-productive PKI from Hubject, a company providing e-commerce services and e-mobility solutions.
Good to Know
Plug & Charge is a mechanism introduced by ISO 15118 to automatically authenticate an EV at a charging station for contract‑based billing. It enables a convenient and secure way of charging EVs because no external identification means, such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, are required for the exchange of billing-related data.
A public key infrastructure (PKI) is a system of roles, policies, and procedures for creating, issuing, and managing digital certificates to secure digital communication. In the context of EV charging, a PKI is essential for ensuring secure communication and transactions between EVs, charging stations, and service providers. It utilizes asymmetric cryptography and secure digital certificates to authenticate the parties involved and protect the integrity of data exchanged during the charging process.
Application Areas
Extending the dSPACE Smart Charging Solution with the Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module makes it the ideal solution for validating Plug & Charge features and TLS security in the context of EV charging – both in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and a software-in-the-loop (SIL) environment. Typical applications include:
- Testing charging processes with contract-based payment method (Plug & Charge)
- Certificate installation and update processes
- Testing with invalid certificates
- Validating proprietary communication via value-added services (VAS)
In HIL and SIL setups, the software module supports executing conformance tests as well as flexible test case definition by the customer.
Key Benefits
The Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module lets you test contract-based EV charging according to ISO 15118. For this purpose, you can add the module to the dSPACE Smart Charging Solution and thus extend the functionality of the solution with several important features relevant in the Plug & Charge context, including:
- Setting up a test environment on the basis of a PKI for testing and validating Plug & Charge features of an EV, including charging station simulation and PKI integration in the test environment
- Configuring and controlling Plug & Charge tests in ControlDesk, the dSPACE experiment and instrumentation software, using a dedicated PnC ControlDesk layout that is usable with the PnC software license
- Validating TLS security using the TLS Inspector from the software development and consulting company achelos GmbH and the TLS Inspector ControlDesk layout from dSPACE1)
You are interested in further information on these benefits? Please see the More In-Depth Information section further down on this page.
1) Using the achelos TLS Inspector requires a valid license from achelos.
Deep dive: Explore more details on our test and validation environment for Plug & Charge scenarios, the different features of our solution, and related products.
More In-Depth Information
dSPACE Test Environment and PKI
To test and validate Plug & Charge features of an EV, it is necessary to simulate the charging station and to integrate a PKI in the test environment.
The Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module enables you to set up such a test environment with the Smart Charging Solution on the basis of a PKI. You can use a third‑party PKI, such as the V2G PKI from Hubject, for this purpose, or let a test PKI with certificates and key files be generated by dSPACE.
Please find links to more detailed information further down on this page, e.g., to a dedicated webinar and a use case.
Configuring and Controlling Plug & Charge Tests in ControlDesk
The Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module comes with a special Plug & Charge layout in ControlDesk, the dSPACE experiment and instrumentation software.
Using this layout, you can conveniently configure and control Plug & Charge tests.
In the PKI Test Configuration Overview, you can see the status of the certificates and key files located on the DS5366 Smart Charging Interface, the hardware component of the Smart Charging Solution, which handles TLS encryption and all the Plug & Charge services of the simulated electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
As a result, you get a quick and intuitive view of the current configuration for validating Plug & Charge scenarios.
Validating TLS Security with achelos TLS Inspector
To preserve data integrity and authenticity in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) communication according to ISO 15118, data exchanged between the EV and EVSE can be TLS‑encrypted. This is essential to achieve cybersecurity in V2G communication.
To test the establishment of TLS‑secured V2G communication between the electric vehicle communication controller (EVCC) and the supply equipment communication controller (SECC) until their mutual authentication, you can use the TLS Inspector from achelos GmbH. The achelos TLS Inspector focuses on validating the conformity, configuration, vulnerability, correctness, and robustness of the TLS implementation. dSPACE supports the integration of the achelos TLS Inspector in a test environment based on the Smart Charging Solution.1)
With the TLS Inspector ControlDesk layout, you can remote‑control the execution of individual achelos TLS Inspector test cases, observe the test results, and put the EVCC into a valid state after each test case run.
1) Using the achelos TLS Inspector requires a valid license from achelos.
Functionality Overview
Functionality |
Description |
|---|---|
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Charging process simulation |
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Monitor V2G communication |
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Monitor encrypted communication |
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| Certificates |
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| Certificate handling |
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| Certificate installation and update |
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| Certificate configurations |
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| VAS |
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Required Products
In Use: See What Our Solutions for Smart Charging Can Do and What You Can Achieve with Them in the Plug & Charge Context
Webinar: Validating ISO 15118 Charging Communication with Hubject Plug & Charge Services
Watch this webinar and learn how to generate and use a test PKI. Explore the Hubject Plug & Charge Ecosystem including the related productive V2G PKI, and its integration into test systems based on our Smart Charging Solution.
Smart Charging PlugAndCharge Software Module: Links
Link to user documentation for more detailed technical information. Access requires registration.