VeTeSS research project to improve safety in automotive embedded electronic systems in final year

YORK, U.K. - Dec. 23, 2014 - PRLog -- VeTeSS (Verification and Testing to Support Functional Safety Standards) is a €20m three-year pan-European research project designed to create innovative technologies to improve the verification of the safety of these embedded systems. The project is developing technologies for improved safety, reliability and quality of automotive systems. It is due to complete in April 2015.

“We have brought together a formidable team to meet a formidable challenge,” says Steve Neill of Infineon UK, the lead organisation behind VeTeSS. “VeTeSS will demonstrate the value of developing new standardised tools and methods which can test any new and emerging safety-relevant systems, all under a collaborative framework backed by expertise unmatched anywhere else in the world.”

The project is proving a number of solutions to key safety verification challenges as follows:
Challenge:
Existing verification and certification practices are frequently ad hoc and based on expert opinion.
VeTeSS Solution:
Practical applications of the new ISO26262 safety standard, for a harmonized framework.

Challenge:
The difficulty of communicating safety information between the different parts of the supply chain – hardware components, software, subsystems and vehicle manufacturers – can make it hard to develop standard parts that can be reused in different applications.
VeTeSS Solution:
Methodology based on standardized formalized notations for data such as requirements, tests and failure descriptions.

Challenge:
New technologies, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, and multi-core computer processors, bring new safety requirements and challenges
VeTeSS Solution:
Correlation of the results from physical testing with modelling.

Challenge:
Lack of standardised tool flows, methodologies and data formats.
VeTeSS Solution:
1) Standardized processes and tools for safety verification, test and qualification of the automotive components.
2) Standardized methods for assessing the design and verification support tools.

Key technologies that have been developed on the project include:
• Strong methods for managing requirements. This includes flow down and traceability of high level safety requirements to low-level technical fulfilment
• Physical testing of new technologies such as multi-core and programmable processors
• Test case generation for stronger and more complete testing of software and hardware
• Stronger modelling of components and their behaviour

So far the project partners have taken part in over 50 different dissemination activities, ranging from academic publications in key conferences, such as the embedded world conference, and key industrial events, such as SAE World Congress in Detroit.

The VeTeSS project is:
• Enabling the succinct and accurate communication throughout the supply chain by integrating the safety case at every stage of development.
• Supporting platform-based development enable greater supply chain flexibility and provide more predictable safety verification and certification processes.
• Reducing time to market, despite new functions and the increasing complexity of embedded systems.
• Improving vehicle safety, quality and reliability.
• Supporting more efficient development of new electric and hybrid vehicles.

The consortium consists of 22 organisations from eight member states. This includes:
• Large enterprises, forming the core automotive supply chain team;
• SMEs, bringing a tools and technology supply perspective; and
• Academic and research institutions, all with highly relevant research experience.
VeTeSS is made possible by funding from the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking, a pan-European research programme to strengthen Europe's position in embedded intelligence and systems, and national funding authorities.

For more details visit the VeTeSS website: http://vetess.eu

The partners involved in the project are:
1. Infineon Technologies UK Ltd (UK)
2. Infineon Technologies AG (Germany)
3. Infineon Technologies Austria AG (Austria)
4. Volvo Technology AB (Sweden)
5. SP Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut AB (Sweden)
6. Centro Ricerche Fiat SCPA (Italy)
7. AVL List GmbH (Austria)
8. Technische Universität Wien (Austria)
9. NXP Semiconductors Netherlands BV (Netherlands)
10. Fraunhofer IIS-EAS Dresden (Germany)
11. Politecnico di Torino (Italy)
12. IKV++ Technologies AG (Germany)
13. SpringSoft SAS (France)
14. TWT GmbH Science and Innovation (Germany)
15. The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University Of Oxford (UK)
16. Barcelona Supercomputing Center / Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion (Spain)
17. exida.com Excellence in Dependable Automation GmbH (Germany)
18. QRTECH AB (Sweden)
19. Rapita Systems Ltd (UK)
20. VIRTUAL VEHICLE Research Center (Austria)
21. Dizain-Sync (Netherlands)
22. IDNEO (Spain)

ENDS

For more information please contact the project coordinator, Steve Neill:
steve.neill@infineon.com
Tel: +44 117 952 8713
Infineon Technologies UK Ltd
Infineon House
Great Western Court
Hunts Ground Road
Bristol BS34 8HP
United Kingdom

PR/dissemination partner:
Philippa Conmy
pconmy@rapitasystems.com
Tel: +44 1904 567747
Rapita Systems
IT Centre
York Science Park
York YO10 5NP
UK