engineering, AUTOSAR - Automotive Industries

Mannori: We apply dedicated lifecycle processes and
consider real time impact from requirements, from engineering and
software architectural design up to system testing on the target
in real operational conditions. We look with interest at AUTOSAR
real-time upgrade pushed by ATESST and EAST-ADL2 and also
to compositionality. This is a key issue for AUTOSAR, and INTECS
is addressing it as prime of CHESS, a pan-European ARTEMIS
project, where we consider how non-functional requirements like
real-time and safety constraints of a component, say a SWC, may
or may not be preserved in the “composed” system.
AI: Similarly, how do you manage to meet the demand for
dependable safety critical systems?
Mannori: We rely on our Avionics/levelA and Railway/SIL4
heritage on system-level hazard, fault-tree and FMECA analysis.
We adopt robust architectural solutions like 2oo3 voting and
diversity as well as techniques like protective programming and
code/requirements coverage. INTECS is also a leader in formal
methods and model checking; however, as always in electronics,
the most important factor is a sound and robust safety process.
We are already mastering the new ISO/DIS 26262 and may add
that support tools like Medini Analyze from Berlin-based iKV are
also extremely helpful in targeting zero-recalls and zero-faults in
future “computers-on-wheels”.
AI: What are some of the challenges in automotive
software today?
Mannori: Unfortunately, there are already some AUTOSAR
back-compatibility issues and the most complete version,
AUTOSAR 4.0, is still not widely used. That means that the Basic
Software modules market is still not “liquid”, and that modules/tools,
due to cost and technological complexity, tend to be an obstacle
rather than a facilitator. However difficult the new business model
of software-as-a-product may seem, OEMs will keep pushing it
and the open ARTOP framework could be of some help.
Another specific challenge is the consumer electronics in
the Infotainment area, where the automotive industry has been
lagging. The industry is now accelerating this technology; and in
the future we will see the whole spectrum of solutions, from the
mobile-phone-only to the docking station with protocol interface
(e.g. TomTom in Fiat500), to a built-in solution with GENIVI as
open middleware and Android (e.g. Continental AutoLinQ) as
open application ecosystem. Having said that, we believe that
it is vital to have controllable and maintainable “Automotivegrade”
systems in this area that cannot be totally detached by
the other electronics systems in the car, aside from flexibility and
upgradeability.
AI: What are some of the new technologies INTECS is
working on currently?
Mannori: We are focusing our efforts on the “deconstructed”
AUTOSAR architecture which will be more flexible, but also
harder to debug. We have developed an ad-hoc host tool, “DLT
Analyzer”, together with its run-time counterpart, designed to
collect and analyze log and trace information from an AUTOSARbased
vehicle. The tool will be useful both for R&D and postsales
departments. Our “DLT Analyzer” will support verbose and
non-verbose mode, run-time configurations, TCP-IP, CAN, UDS
services, FIBEX standard and various graphical plug-ins. DLT
Analyzer is available for the ARTOP framework as an Eclipe plugin.
We are also working at our own “Conformance Testing Suite” in
order to support Basic Software qualification but also to work side
by side with OEMs and Tier1s in the development and acceptance
of their Software Components. Verification and validation across
the whole ECU stack is INTECS core business and we believe we
are building something really innovative.
Last but not least, we are working on some interesting
micro controller abstraction layers (MCALs), and we are also
investigating multi-core based solutions for powertrain and
safety-critical applications. AI
Automotive Industries 17
LEFT: Navigation system
in the Fiat 500 – this type
of integration is creating
new challenges for
designers.
BELOW: AutoLinQ brings
internet based services
and apps into commercial
vehicles.