Build Automation Framework for Design Validation of Automotive Gateway Controllers

Complex systems require an appropriate development methodology through the complete design lifecycle, from concept definition to system validation. In the end, the value and performance of a design are limited by how well it can be tested and validated. In this work, authors present an automatic framework for design validation of automotive Gateway controllers. The framework covers the validation process, going from test-case specification to results delivery in a fully automatic way. The framework relies on the use of standard Packet-CAPture (PCAP) files with frame traces, as a mean of injecting stimuli in the system and of output recording. This allows to repeat and reproduce experiments, following ACM guidelines. The data processing required to analyze the test results is done taking these PCAP files as input, allowing to automate the data analysis in a standardized way. The test files are automatically generated in the framework according to the design files and the test configuration selected by the system architect, providing a fast, flexible, scalable and human-error-free validation methodology. The design files of the system are also automated via a build automation framework for gateway design, introduced by authors in previous work. The design automation framework covered the automatic Design & Development of GW devices, and now the design validation framework covers the automatic Verification & Validation steps. Therefore, with the new build automation framework for design validation, the full design lifecycle of automotive gateway controllers following the V-model is completed. Finally, the validation framework provides both simulation and in-target testing capabilities, relying on the standard PCAP files strategy, getting the best of both worlds - simulation and in-target testing - blending digital with physical, and completing the last step of the product design life cycle, in a fully automatic way.