This master thesis investigates the standard AUTOSAR („AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture“) within the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking project CRYSTAL (“CRitical sYSTem engineering AcceLeration”), which is concerned with the development of interoperability-technology for System Engineering Environments. This work identifies a conflict between the application of the development-scheme “AUTOSAR-Methodology” and the superior industrial trend of Model-based Software Engineering. Founded on specialized literature, the mentioned problem can be titled as “Frontloading”. This methodological issue is such a fundamental aspect for the utilization of AUTOSAR that the present elaboration concentrates on it and refrains from interoperability-technology as focused by the paramount project. In the light of the motivation indicated in the acronym of CRYSTAL, clarifying this methodological aspect constitutes a fundamental contribution to efficiency in the engineering of Embedded Systems. This master thesis elucidates in detail the phenomenon “Frontloading” and its symptoms in software-development with AUTOSAR. The elaboration is based on a rich automotive function-example, which is developed in accordance with the established paradigm of Model-based Software Engineering. Although AUTOSAR adheres to the latter, its application demands own specific procedures to produce automotive functions. This work finally delivers a concept for the efficient handling of AUTOSAR within Model-based Software Engineering with respect to Frontloading, associating requirements to corresponding development-artefacts.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Presentation of CRYSTAL
2.1 Origin of the project
2.2 Mission of CRYSTAL
2.3 Overview of project-contents
2.4 Contributions of earlier projects to CRYSTAL
2.5 The CRYSTAL-consortium
2.6 Project-structure
2.7 Location of this master thesis within CRYSTAL
2.8 Relevance of interoperability to automotive system engineering
3 Understanding interoperability
3.1 Definitions for interoperability
3.2 Example in business-process
3.3 Interoperability in process-management
3.4 Analogy for interoperability
4 Introducing AUTOSAR
4.1 Presentation of AUTOSAR
4.2 Motivation for AUTOSAR
4.3 Insight into development of automotive functions
4.4 AUTOSAR-Methodology
4.5 Specifying application-software with the Virtual Functional Bus
4.6 The activity “Develop Application Software”
5 Frontloading as a cause for inefficiency in engineering with AUTOSAR
5.1 Model-based Software Engineering in the V-Model
5.2 AUTOSAR within Model-based Software Engineering
5.3 The price for easing software-integration: Frontloading
5.4 Round-Trip-Engineering with Software Components
5.5 Frontloading: An interoperability-problem?
5.6 Summarizing Frontloading
6 Clarifying Frontloading with AUTOSAR in Model-based Software Engineering
6.1 Setup for observation
6.2 Presentation of the exemplary embedded function for this master thesis
6.3 Description of Frontloading within AUTOSAR
6.4 Fundament of Model-based Software Engineering
7 Development of AUTOSAR Software Components for the spoiler-functionality
7.1 Systematic procedure with the spoiler-functionality
7.2 Approaching Virtual Functional Bus architecture with the executable specification
7.3 Mapping of Software Components to Electronic Control Units
7.4 Developing Internal Behavior of Software Component Descriptions
7.5 Involving System Services for the Application-SWC-Main-Functionality
8 Concept for efficient development of application-software with AUTOSAR
8.1 Context of the elaborated concept
8.2 The challenge of Frontloading
8.3 Summarizing the development of the spoiler-functionality
8.4 Possible reasons for iterations in the development
8.5 Concept for efficient development of AUTOSAR application-software
Objectives & Key Themes
This master thesis aims to enhance development efficiency within the AUTOSAR framework by addressing the phenomenon of "Frontloading," a methodological challenge arising from the standard's architecture-paradigm. The research investigates why AUTOSAR application software development often requires iterative and potentially inefficient processes, specifically focusing on the intersection of Model-based Software Engineering (MBSE) and AUTOSAR's specific requirements.
- Analysis of the "Frontloading" phenomenon and its implications for automotive embedded system engineering.
- Evaluation of the relationship between AUTOSAR-Methodology and standard Model-based Software Engineering practices.
- Development of a concept for efficient handling of AUTOSAR application software, utilizing a "spoiler-functionality" as a case study.
- Identification of causal factors for development iterations and strategies for their mitigation.
Book Excerpt
5.3 The price for easing software-integration: Frontloading
Integration is one of the major issues in the development of embedded real-time systems. This is explained in a concise manner in the second chapter of the book (29), entitled “Model-Based Integration”. According to this source, the integration-problem is basically caused by the human need to divide problems in order to find solutions. The report explains the terminology of integration, presents types of integration-problems, solution-strategies and the state of the art, and furthermore refers to advanced solution-proposals like AUTOSAR. In summary, AUTOSAR approaches integration with the concept of interfaces, which combines the major integration-techniques “Explicit Horizontal Decomposition & Composition” and “Vertical Abstraction & Enrichment”. At the ECU-level, this concept of AUTOSAR mainly addresses problems of syntactic, technological and data-flow nature. (Cf. (29), chapt. 2)
Subchapter 4.2 has already underlined that easing the integration of software is a core goal of AUTOSAR, with respect to the fact, that the development is no more ECU-oriented but more software-function-oriented. An important insight can thus be made with regard to Figure 15: The integration of the software being located in the right branch of the V-Model at number “8”, the attempt to improve the integration of the software, makes the introduction of particular paradigms necessary in the left branch of the V-Model. This is where AUTOSAR acts in terms of software-architecture.
For Model-based Engineering, the component-interface software engineering means that logical models, like they are handled on the level of the “Specification of the logical system-architecture”, cf. number “2” in Figure 15, have to be transposed into particular software-architecture models. This cannot be reduced to the pure coding with a special software language like C. The conformity to the standard AUTOSAR requires fundamental architectural approaches, which go far beyond the simple translation of functional aspects from a model towards software. Anyhow, the superior goal is to fulfil the requirements on the function to be realized.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the thesis, situating it within the CRYSTAL project and establishing the research goal of enhancing efficiency in AUTOSAR-based development processes.
2 Presentation of CRYSTAL: This chapter provides context by introducing the ARTEMIS CRYSTAL project, its mission, project structure, and the specific relevance of interoperability to automotive engineering.
3 Understanding interoperability: This chapter establishes foundational terminology for "interoperability," categorizing its levels and differentiating it from integration, while illustrating its significance through business-process and gear-train analogies.
4 Introducing AUTOSAR: This chapter presents the AUTOSAR standard, its motivation in a software-oriented automotive industry, and explains the AUTOSAR-Methodology focused on application software.
5 Frontloading as a cause for inefficiency in engineering with AUTOSAR: This chapter classifies AUTOSAR within MBSE and identifies "Frontloading" as a fundamental methodological conflict that contributes to development inefficiencies.
6 Clarifying Frontloading with AUTOSAR in Model-based Software Engineering: This chapter introduces the methodology for the thesis, presenting an exemplary embedded function (spoiler-functionality) and detailing factors contributing to Frontloading.
7 Development of AUTOSAR Software Components for the spoiler-functionality: This chapter details the practical, model-based implementation of the spoiler-functionality, covering architectural design, component mapping, and internal behavior specification.
8 Concept for efficient development of application-software with AUTOSAR: This chapter synthesizes the findings to present a cohesive concept and guideline for tackling Frontloading and improving development efficiency.
Keywords
AUTOSAR, Model-based Software Engineering, V-Model, Interoperability, Frontloading, Round-Trip Engineering, Decomposition, Integration, Model-in-the-Loop, Virtual Functional Bus, System Architecture, Software Components, Embedded Systems, Requirements Engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this master thesis?
The thesis investigates the "Frontloading" phenomenon within AUTOSAR-based development, aiming to provide a conceptual guideline to increase efficiency in the engineering of automotive embedded software.
What are the central thematic fields?
The work revolves around AUTOSAR, Model-based Software Engineering (MBSE), the V-Model, and the overarching project goals of the European CRYSTAL project regarding interoperability and tool-chain integration.
What is the research goal or primary question?
The primary goal is to identify why AUTOSAR application development often suffers from inefficiencies and to develop a methodological concept to mitigate these issues by addressing Frontloading.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The thesis uses a research-through-design approach, implementing a practical case study (a "spoiler-functionality") to derive and validate the proposed concept for efficient development.
What is covered in the main section?
The main part encompasses the classification of AUTOSAR in MBSE, the identification of the Frontloading issue, the practical realization of the spoiler-functionality, and the final synthesis of an efficiency concept.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include AUTOSAR, MBSE, Frontloading, Round-Trip Engineering, Decomposition, and V-Model, among others related to automotive system integration.
How is "Frontloading" defined in this document?
Frontloading is defined as an architectural paradigm resulting from the need to anticipate integration-related decisions in very early development phases, which often creates "densified" and complex knowledge requirements.
Why is the "spoiler-functionality" used as a case study?
The spoiler-functionality serves as an exemplary, simplified real-time system that allows the author to demonstrate the mapping of logical requirements to AUTOSAR software components without the excessive complexity of a full-scale industrial project.
Does the author propose abandoning AUTOSAR?
No, the author advocates for a better-structured methodological approach (the proposed concept) to efficiently utilize the AUTOSAR standard while minimizing the costs of Frontloading.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ferdinand Schäfer (Autor:in), 2014, Research on interoperability within development processes of Embedded Systems on an example, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/292686
