Virtual testing

1. Simplify the test case creation

We support function developers in creating simple test cases at model level by providing a special graphical user interface (GUI) for MATLAB/Simulink.

This allows test cases for individual components (unit tests) to be created and executed by the user himself based on predefined templates. These tests mainly cover the functional requirements. If they are repeated for every change and any resulting errors are rectified immediately, they contribute significantly to ensuring proper functioning.

2. Automated debugging

Generic test cases can be applied automatically to many different test objects and are particularly useful, for example, where test objects are not sufficiently tested by manually created tests or where a higher structure-related test coverage is needed. The aim is to identify undesirable effects of changes on existing behavior in individual variants.

The advantage here is that virtual MiL tests are independent of hardware configurations. This allows the use of uniformly configured test environments.

3. Continuous testing in the cloud

To ensure that testing is not perceived as a burden but as a support, these tests are automatically executed in the background with every change. This continuous testing approach, which is well known from "conventional" software development, can also be transferred to development in the automotive sector by virtualizing the tests.

We develop individual automation solutions for which a Jenkins server is used to coordinate the test execution. The test execution itself runs on a cloud infrastructure. The Jenkins server distributes the test tasks to the free resources in the cloud.

Modern vehicles are based on technologies that make driving a pleasant and especially safe experience in the digital age. For this purpose, vehicle functions are being developed that not only affect the vehicle itself, but also involve a lot of interaction with its environment. These highly complex and interconnected functions require validation through testing at an early stage of development in order to meet the specified requirements. However, conventional methods can no longer guarantee the necessary scope of testing in the existing development models. With the help of simulations, the diverse test process can be sped up significantly in comparison to manual physical testing, it can easily be parallelized, and the reproducibility of test scenarios can be ensured. This also eliminates the need to perform the tests with a finished product.

What is the project's objective?

We construct complete co-simulation systems for our customers, put them into operation, and also provide support in ongoing integration. We apply our expertise at various levels of the overall system – in software development, system design and testing.

We can help even with the initial decisions on the appropriate system architecture and develop precisely coordinated interfaces for the relevant modeling tools of the customer-specific platforms.

With ecu.test , we also integrate a modern tool for test automation and perform automated tests of the special co-simulation networks. In this way, the smooth interaction of the individual components can be coordinated and ensured.

We identify existing synergies between these individual areas and feed the knowledge gained back into the development process in an agile manner. Strictly speaking, we continuously fine-tune the overall system to improve it step by step.

What is co-simulation?

In co-simulations, different partial simulations are joined and combined for an overall simulation. For us in particular, this means virtualizing the vehicle environment to various levels of detail and connecting it to the test object. Vehicle functions can then be tested within many realistic scenarios. >br>
The virtualized functions can be modeled in the most suitable software tools depending on the use case and then combined. Depending on the level of detail of these models, a very wide range of tests can be covered.

What is the advantage of a co-simulation platform?
Co-simulation platforms connect the individual subsystems (test object, test environment simulations). The simulation results from the different modeling tools (MATLAB/Simulink, CarMaker, Silver, VEOS etc.) and viewers are exchanged using a standardized communication protocol.
The co-simulation platform sets the right pace so that all simulations can work together with a common understanding over the current time. The simulations themselves can be run on different machines (Linux, Windows, Cloud) depending on the infrastructure required.

The advantage of this approach is that the encapsulated subsystems can be specifically interchanged depending on the test case and loosely connected again. This creates a co-simulation system that can be scaled and operated dynamically.