HIL configuration and virtual ECUs implementation for verification and validation of Engine Control Module

The following thesis is the result of a six-month internship in Kineton s.r.l., based in Turin, specialized in verification and validation of automotive powertrain control systems. The objective of the thesis is to configure a Hardware-In-the-Loop dSpace simulator for verification and validation of a Diesel Engine Control Module and to improve the MATLAB Simulink model that runs in the simulator processing unit as a real-time application. HIL testing, placed at the end of the V-model adopted in software development, is widely used in verification and validation of complex embedded control systems as it allows to reduce costs and time. The first part of this project is concerned to the study of the main characteristics of a dSpace SCALEXIO simulator, in order to obtain the wiring harness necessary to connect the Engine Control Module to the simulator and configure it for the test activity. After that, a big effort has been done in order to improve all the virtual ECUs implemented in the MATLAB Simulink model, aligning all the CAN messages required by the Engine Control Module with the specifications released by the car maker. This is aimed to make the simulation environment as similar as possible to the real vehicle, essential for obtaining a high-standard verification and validation process and avoiding possible problems caused by the mismatch between the model and the real vehicle. The improvements obtained, regarding the CAN messages exchanged between the Engine Control Module and the virtual ECUs, are highlighted in the last part of the thesis, with the analysis of a CAN acquisition obtained from the simulator.