Towards Establishing Continuous-X Pipeline Using Modular Software-in-the-Loop Test Environments

Software-in-the-Loop (SiL) test environments are the ideal virtual platforms for enabling continuous-development, -integration, -testing -delivery or -deployment commonly referred as Continuous-X (CX) of the complex functionalities in the current automotive industry. This trend especially is contributed by several factors such as the industry wide standardization of the model exchange formats, interfaces as well as architecture definitions. The approach of frontloading software testing with SiL test environments is predominantly advocated as well as already adopted by various Automotive OEMs, thereby the demand for innovating applicable methods is increasing. However, prominent usage of the existing monolithic architecture for interaction of various elements in the SiL environment, without regarding the separation between functional and non-functional test scope, is reducing the usability and thus limiting significantly the cost saving potential of CX with SiL. In this paper, we introduce a novel modular architecture of SiL environments especially suitable seamlessly for such CX use cases, considering various functional and non-functional test scopes. Particularly in section 1 of this paper, we elaborate the state-of-the-art standards in the industry and use cases of SiL from the OEM and supplier perspective. Then we demonstrate the benefits modular SiL environments compared to the monolithic counterparts, for different test scopes in section 2 and illustrate CX pipeline with these environments in section 3. Finally, we conclude with an elaborate list of key performance indicators (KPIs) and establishing future scope.