Mouzakitis, Alexandros (2016) Innovative solutions for automotive embedded software development : innovation report. EngD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Embedded software is shaping and influencing our world and it is unimaginable to realise day to day life without it. Since the introduction of the first Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in the 1970s, the automotive industry has seen a substantial increase of embedded software in vehicles. The use of embedded software in the automotive industry has led to a significant increase in the number and complexity of different vehicle systems, features and functions. This level of complexity drives premium vehicles with no fewer than 70 ECUs interconnected by more than five on-board network systems such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), FlexRay and Ethernet.

In a typical automotive development process, the main challenge for the engineers is to uncover as many failure modes and/or software defects as possible during the early stages of the vehicle programme. During the early phases of the development, failure modes and/or software defects are difficult to uncover but easy and inexpensive to fix. During the latter phases of the development, failure modes and/or software defects are easy to uncover since the final product has been built. At this stage, failure modes and/or software defects are hard and expensive to fix as changes required in the embedded software.

The aim of this research was to develop and deploy innovative solutions in order to shift failure modes and/or software defects detection early in automotive product development. The initial research work was conducted through an analysis of failure modes and/or software defects found during a typical Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicle programme development. This preliminary work also then focused on supplier base capability for automotive embedded software development. The research findings from the internal and external analysis, together with the literature review on best practice have driven the development of four solutions.

A process called Model-based Product Engineering (MBPE) was created and deployed within JLR. The MBPE process brings together model-based development and other development processes in a standardised form. A new generic Design Verification Interface (DVI) for test exchange and traceability across all MBPE process levels was developed. The generic DVI eliminates or reduces redundant efforts of re-writing test cases and test scripts for automated testing. A semi-formal Standardised Design Verification Method (SDVM) was developed for defining test cases for all vehicle systems in a common template. The SDVM presents test cases as machine readable data and allows auto-generation of test scripts suitable for automated testing. An end-to-end solution called Platform Independent Test System was developed in order to integrate the MBPE, DVI and SDVM solutions. The proposed PITS supports all levels of system abstraction from the test case definition phase to the execution of automated scripts in both offline and real-time test environments.

Evaluation results have demonstrated a significant shift in the detection of failure modes and/or software defects towards the early phases of the product development. An early detection of more than 50% of failure modes and/or software defects was achieved. This is a substantial change from the previous state where embedded software validation was conducted only after supplier software release. Furthermore, results have shown a 40% reduction in engineering effort for test scripts creation and a five to tenfold reduction in engineering time for automated testing.

Item Type:	Thesis (EngD)
Subjects:	T Technology > TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Automobile industry and trade -- Technological innovations, Embedded computer systems -- Design and construction, Motor vehicles -- Electronic equipment, Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control, Automobiles -- Design and construction -- Quality control
Official Date:	30 November 2016
Dates:	Date Event 30 November 2016 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Manufacturing Group
Thesis Type:	EngD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Jennings, P. A. (Paul A.) ; Marco, James ; Dhadyalla, Gunwant ; Lancaster, Gerard
Sponsors:	Jaguar Land Rover (Firm) ; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	xvi, 173 leaves : illustrations, charts
Language:	eng

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