Model-based software development for automatic train protection system

Automatic train protection (ATP) system is a safety critical application for railway signaling with high logic complexity, and it is typically embedded and real-time demanded. As the computational complexity of ATP system, traditional software development method cannot accommodate effectively. In this paper, we propose a novel model-based development (MBD) scheme for ATP system. We argue that high quality software development in ATP system should not only rely on function design, but also on safety verification. A model-based development life cycle and verification approach are described. Furthermore, we present a case study, which is using the tool of SCADE suite. The approach can shorten the development period, enhance system safety, and meet challenges in safety critical software development.