An Overview of Hardware-In-the-Loop Testing Systems at Visteon

ABSTRACT This paper discusses our experiences on the implementation and benefits of using the Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) systems for Powertrain control system software verification and validation. The Visteon HIL system integrated with several off-the-shelf diagnostics and calibration tools is briefly explained. Further, discussions on test automation sequence control and failure insertion are outlined The capabilities and advantages of using HIL for unit level software testing, open loop and closed-loop system testing, fault insertion and test automation are described. HIL also facilitates Software and Hardware Interface validation testing with low-level driver and platform software. This paper attempts to show the experiences with and capabilities of these HIL systems. INTRODUCTION HIL technology has been in wide use in Defense and Aerospace industry as early as the 1950s. In spite of the high cost of the HIL technology in those days, the Defense and Aerospace industry took advantage of HIL systems mainly due to the risk of human life involved in the real time system and the extremely expensive prototype systems under test. The automotive industry did not embrace HIL technology for development and testing of automotive control systems mainly due to its high cost and feasibility of using the HIL technology for comparatively simpler control systems. Over the years, the automotive industry started adding more and more diverse embedded software controlled electronic components in vehicles to improve performance; efficiency and comfort as well as to be compliant with government regulated and mandated emission requirements. The pressure of increased complexity in the design and verification process timing and cost involved with the testing of complex electronic and component systems forced the automotive industry to investigate and invest in better testing methodologies. The advancement of computer technology, availability of highly efficient low cost compute engines and, readily available off-the-shelf systems, have pushed the viability and usability of the HIL technology from the Defense and Aerospace industry to the Automotive industry. After the successful use of HIL simulation technologies in the Aerospace industry, the Automotive industry adopted the technique in the 1990s. Several successful partial and complete closed loop simulations can be cited in the literature since then [1,2].