dSPACE - Magazine 2016/01

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Figure 3: Overview of the products, artifacts and roles involved in the F-SIL station.
Solution for Challenge No. 2:
VEOS-Based Workflow
Work on the F-SIL station clearly
shows the strong interdisciplinarity
and the exchange of information
between various teams. As soon as
the AUTOSAR SWCs are available,
the software integrator generates
virtual ECUs (V-ECUs), including the
appropriate A2L description file.
Interface and linker errors are easy
to eliminate in this step. After creat-
ing the V-ECU, the software inte-
grator connects the interfaces be-
tween the V-ECU and the plant
model or environment model. The
models are provided by the model
preparation team, which also makes
these models available to the HIL
department. This involves connect-
ing several thousand signals, so this
integration step is done completely
automatically. In the last step, the
software integrator receives the
ControlDesk Next Generation proj-
ect files and layouts from the HIL
department (figure 2). They are used
to test the V-ECU functions in a
closed-loop simulation on the F-SIL
station. If everything goes as
planned, the software integrator
publishes a project configuration
that the function and software de-
velopers can use for their own tests
on the F-SIL station (figure 3).
VEOS’ open interface and the sup-
porting standards make it possible
to reuse existing HIL test scenarios
and layouts for testing on the F-SIL
station. This reduces the workload
and ensures a seamless transition
between tests. Because the function
developers use realistic test scenarios,
they can now avoid the limitations
of simulation based on MATLAB/
Simulink alone.
Importance of the F-SIL Stations
at BMW
Function and software developers
mainly use the F-SIL station in the
early integration phase, because at
this point in time, target platforms
either do not exist or are not avail-
able, due to the low number of units
or high costs. BMW currently has
over 60 users working with three
F-SIL stations for the virtual valida-
tion of four different project con-
figurations. Because the software-
software integration takes place
before the software-hardware inte-
gration, the stressful integration
CUSTOMERS
HIL API
SWC
1
SWC
2
SWC
n
...
Software integrator
Generates V-ECUs
HIL tester
Provides HIL layouts
and tests
Model expert
Provides plant
models
Software
developers
Check their
SWCs into the
database
SW bus
F-SIL Station
Test automation
ECU test
dSPACE Magazine 1/2016 · © dSPACE GmbH, Paderborn, Germany · ·