Cross-layer analysis, testing and verification of automotive control software

Automotive architectures today consist of up to 100 electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate via one or more FlexRay and CAN buses. Multiple control applications - like cruise control, brake control, etc. - are specified as Simulink/Stateflow models, from which code is generated and mapped onto the different ECUs. In addition, scheduling policies and parameters, both for the ECUs and the buses, need to be specified. Code generation/optimization from the Simulink/Stateflow models, task partitioning and mapping decisions, as well as the parameters chosen for the schedulers - all of these impact the execution times and timing behaviour of the control tasks and control messages. These in turn affect control performance, such as stability and steady-/transient-state behaviour. This paper discusses different aspects of this multi-layered design flow and the associated research challenges. The emphasis is on model-based code generation, analysis, testing and verification of control software for automotive architectures, as well as on architecture or platform configuration to ensure that the required control performance requirements are satisfied.