A leading German OEM, and a German Tier 1 players have successfully done a pilot project for a company-spanning simulation system.

This software can be used for classic automotive applications, such as powertrain or brake systems, to e-drive applications and autonomous driving, whether you are working on virtual ECUs or on AD algorithms, the dSPACE solution for software-in-the loop (SIL) testing enables you to accelerate  your software development process by testing and validating virtually. dSPACE offers you a complete, modular, scalable development and test solution.

With this solution, one can  simulate a device-under-test on a PC, connect it to physics-based models, run scalable tests in the Cloud, and then easily reuse test scripts on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems.  

dSPACE’s role is that of a solution provider, delivering services, consulting and tools to realize this ambitious project. The system contains virtual ECUs for a powertrain and a braking system (V-ECU) together with the necessary environmental simulation models. The customers then use this system to realize a proof-of-concept for virtual WLTP test drives (Worldwide Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure). This includes selecting the tools, defining workflows and defining the right collaboration models.

The collaboration model is used in which each supplier provides its ECU to the OEM as a V-ECU and the OEM creates the complete virtual vehicle network, uses it for its own tests and distributes it to the suppliers. The suppliers then use this network to test their own software more realistically, i.e., in interaction with the real behaviour of other ECUs to take advantage of SIL tests to arrive at validated ECUs. The OEM gets benefited by integration of real behaviour (here brake behavior) in simulation to increase significance and realism of tests, instead of only approximating the behavior of the supplier ECU. Eventually the components of the real vehicle are added one by one and perform overall SIL tests.