Reducing SEU sensitivity in LIN networks: Selective and collaborative hardening techniques

Digital electronic systems in automotive applications are in charge of different tasks, ranging from very critical control functions (e.g., airbag, ABS, ESP) to comfort services (e.g., handling of mirrors, seats, windows, wipers). Hardening these systems involves suitably trading off cost and reliability. Due to standards and regulations in the area, the reliability of subsystems involved even in the least critical applications has to be evaluated, and in most cases hardening has to be performed with very low extra cost. In this work, two approaches are proposed for hardening the LIN bus, which implements a serial communication network typically used in low-throughput and low-cost sub-systems in automotive applications. First, critical elements in LIN nodes are identified and some techniques to harden them are proposed following a selective hardening approach. Secondly, collaborative hardening techniques are proposed for reducing global sensitivity in a LIN network built with commercial devices, trying to achieve a high degree of robustness in the network with low cost solutions. We report some experimental results allowing evaluating the hardware cost and the robustness of the proposed techniques.