AUTOSAR motors toward test phase
Greg Reed, Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 9/1/2005
The Automotive Open Systems Architecture (AUTOSAR) partnership, formed to promote an open standard for automotive electric/electronics architecture, foresees that it will deliver its standard on schedule in 2006. Formed in 2003, the network of automotive, electronics, and software companies intends the new standard to serve as an infrastructure for managing functions within applications embedded in vehicles.
Adhering to an internal roadmap, working committees defined specifications in 2004. The schedule calls for a test phase beginning in late 2005, with delivery of a bona fide standard by August 2006. With participation from OEMs, suppliers, semiconductor manufacturers, and software firms, AUTOSAR promises a standard that ensures cooperation while protecting intellectual property.
What's in this for test engineers? The consortium says greater scalability to vehicle test platform variants, transferability of functions throughout the network, integration of modules from different suppliers, more off-the-shelf hardware, and ongoing upgrades over a vehicle's lifetime.
Organizations often promote their own solutions regarding modularity and configurability enhancements, standardized interfaces, and global cooperation, much like the one that AUTOSAR advocates. While I maintain a healthy dose of skepticism, it's hard to argue with the Tier1 automotive companies assembled behind this initiative. To check it out for yourself, visit www.autosar.org.
Contact Greg Reed at editor@aatr.net.
