Tech Briefs

Software-in-the-loop (SIL) is an increasingly dominant method for OEMs and suppliers to validate functions at an early stage, before hardware is available. In SIL testing, ECU functionality is tested in a virtual environment without physical hardware. Typically, suppliers provide virtual ECUs (V-ECU) in a manufacturer-proprietary format, which is then integrated into an OEM’s simulation platform. These V-ECUs contain application software, often embedded within an AUTOSAR environment, and must interact with other VECUs via simulated buses.