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Optimized Test Preparation with Diagnostic Simulation

08 September 2023 - Due to the rapid increase in electronics and software in the vehicle, testing the 50-150 ECUs, depending on the vehicle, is becoming increasingly complex. It is no longer only individual systems that have to be tested, but also the interactions between the systems. The test effort increases disproportionately.

One possible key to the solution is test automation. However, further work must be done here on effectiveness and efficiency: reliable results must be available more quickly. While good results are already being achieved in many areas of vehicle electronics through simulations, this step still needs to be taken in vehicle diagnostics. It is obvious: An external device, the diagnostic tester, is developed or adapted to perform the test - but the necessary counterpart in the form of an ECU or vehicle is missing to test the tester.

Diagnostic Simulation Significantly Accelerates Automated Testing

Softing TCS provides a configurable diagnostic simulation with real communication in good time, which considerably accelerates the creation of automated tests. Each test routine can thus already be verified during implementation. The diagnostic simulation solution consists of a device that can act autonomously as an ECU and vehicle simulation, an automation interface that enables integration into test automation, and an administration interface. Since the diagnostic simulation is not only performed as a pure software simulation, but also via a real device, the entire chain including VCI and cabling can be verified. In addition, the simulation can represent good and bad cases. Thus, as with real ECU testing, behavior that may occur can be verified.

The timely use of a simulation such as Softing TCS in test preparation enables a considerable gain in efficiency. Already during the development of test routines, these can be verified together with the entire test setup. This means that the actual test can be started immediately when the DuT arrives. Time-consuming loops for troubleshooting are thus obsolete. The integrated diagnostic protocols are tried and tested, which means that no new problems can arise here. The use of simulation files makes it easy to create variants with minimal setup times.

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