F2008-10-023
The AUTOSAR Methodology
This paper presents the AUTOSAR methodology for the software development of automotive electric/electronic systems and reflects Continentalīs experiences with its application.
AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) is a global development partnership of automotive manufacturers and suppliers. Since 2003, they are working together to develop and establish an open and standardized automotive software architecture. The standardization has been aiming on project objectives like scalability, transferability of functions throughout the network, integration of functions from different parties, or maintainability. The resulting architecture now is a key enabling technology to manage the growing E/E complexity. Thus it paves the way for future innovations in automotive E/E development, strongly driven by the challenges regarding environmental compatibility and safety improvements.
The AUTOSAR architecture bases on a layer concept, that separates application software from basic software (BSW), connected by another layer, the so called Runtime Environment (RTE). In terms of application software AUTOSAR has specified generic interface mechanisms for so called software components. These interface mechanisms are used for communication between components or to access services provided by the BSW. All this communication is routed via the RTE.
Beneath the architecture AUTOSAR also has developed a methodology how to use the architecture, and in particular how to develop software according to this architecture. The methodology contains description templates for elements on the level of software components, of an ECU, and of an entire system. Furthermore the methodology formally describes processing steps of the templates and the interaction between them.
The `virtual functional busī (VFB) is another aspect of the methodology, which in particular forms the link to the architecture. The VFB enables a virtual integartion of all application software in a system, before any assignment of applications to ECUs is required. The RTE (see above) can be interpreted as the implementation of the VFB on a certain ECU.
Continental gained experience with the AUTOSAR methodology from several pilot and production projects. Compared to conventional automotive software development the application of the AUTOSAR methodology requires changes in development processes but offers advantages regarding efficiency and quality.
Session: Interface Management