ECU network testing by hardware-in-the-loop simulation

The electronics responsible for the comfort and passive safety systems in the new Opel Vectra involve a network of numerous electronic control units (ECU) from different manufacturers. Testing the ECU network is a particular challenge. Existing test methods soon come up against their limits. By using hardware-in-the-loop simulation, Opel achieves extensive test coverage and depth. Test automation considerably enhances the benefit of using the hardware-in-the-loop simulator. In future, test automation will also be extended to earlier phases of ECU development.