Overview

In the early years of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, about 20 years ago, everything was about real-time simulation. The main challenge was how to bring an engine or vehicle dynamics model to life in real-time. Today, HIL simulation and testing is much more than just real-time simulation. It is about distributed model development and integration processes, managing HIL farms, automated testing, and ensuring functional safety. So, is real-time a relic from the early years, or is it still a critical factor?

The answer is: yes, it is a critical factor now more than ever. And it becomes even more critical with stricter emissions regulations, highly dynamic, electrified powertrain applications, more sophisticated performance algorithms in vehicle dynamics, braking and active safety, and with increasing security demands, for example, in autonomous driving.

To meet the real-time demands of today and the future, a multicore computing system is required that can meet varying computation needs. The system must be: 1) interconnectable to build up multiprocessor systems, 2) expandable with FPGA and GPU technology, 3) time-coherent, and 4) supported by a seamless software environment. This live panel discussion will address why real-time is crucial for HIL simulation and testing, what the main challenges are, and how they can be solved.