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BMW announces semi-autonomous driving system

By , on January 24th, 2012 in Automotive

BMW recently released a video of their ConnectedDrive Connect (CDC) semi-autonomous driving system. In August BMW announced the technology which uses four types of sensors, radar, cameras, laser scanners, and ultrasound distance devices, to stay aware of a car’s surroundings. The CDC system works like an advanced cruise control system, controlling the braking and acceleration.
Self Driving BMW
The CDC system ensures that the car adheres to all traffic laws and speed limits. When the car senses it is behind a slower moving vehicle, it looks for an open lane where it can safely merge at speeds up to 130 km/h (81 mph). If an opening is found, the system will then steer the vehicle into that lane, pass the slower vehicle, and then return to its original lane.

Dr. Nico Kaempchen, Project Manager for BMW Group Research and Technology says it has successfully driven on its own for about 3,100 miles on the freeway, and that this new technology will be used to further improve existing assistance systems in BMW cars.

Needless to say, the embedded software needed to make this system work will have to undergo extensive testing before they can be approved.

Dr. Kaempchen explains:

Our main challenge was to develop algorithms that can handle entirely new situations. In principal, the system works on all freeways that we have mapped out beforehand with [a] centimeter accuracy.

via TechnologyReview.com

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Regression Testing and Test Repeatability

By , on January 16th, 2012 in Journal Entry, Railway, Road Warriors


I visited two railway customers last week who are working towards compliance with EN 50128 – the development standard for software for railway control and protection systems.

VectorCAST maps well onto the requirements of this safety standard, especially in the area of dynamic analysis and testing, which is highly recommended regardless of safety integrity level (SIL).

Regression testing and test repeatability are important topics for both of these companies and VectorCAST/Manage is a good fit in each case. It allows them to automate the re-running of their test suite on a nightly basis. And as is true in many industries these days, there is a lot of reuse of code across multiple projects/customer implementations, and VectorCAST/Manage is well suited to help with exactly that – grouping tests into test suites that can then be easily configured for different code baselines by VectorCAST/Manage.

My first business trip for 2012 was uneventful from a travel perspective. The weather here in New England, as in much of the country, is unseasonably warm. It makes for great travel in the winter months, but I wonder what the payback will be. Will we have all our winter jammed into a single few weeks? Will we not have a winter at all and pay the price all year long with the ramifications (bugs, rain, allergies)? I guess we will all find out together.

Happy New Year!

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My new Korean car

By , on December 23rd, 2011 in Automotive, Journal Entry, Road Warriors

After ten years of reliable driving, I finally decided to buy a new car.

Like many people I want a car that “looks” like me. For me, this means a car loaded with electronics. I guess this is because I am always working with Automotive software. I like to see it in action outside the of development lab. During my trips to our automotive customers, I have seen a lot of pretty cools things. I guess I wanted to get some of that coolness for myself. So after some soul (and Internet) searching, we bought a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid for Christmas.

Hyundai

My new car has a dazzling array of electronic components including; Hybrid Drive, Navigation System, Voice Control (a particular favorite of mine), and a choice between automatic and semi-automatic transmission (so I still can have fun shifting from time to time).

One of my favorite features of my new caris the four heated seats to keep our derrière warm. :) When I look at the number of buttons on the steering wheel I wonder if I am not sitting at the helm of an aircraft or perhaps a starship.

All of these marvelous features are powered by electronics and yes, software! Obviously a lot of the embedded software in my new car is safety-critical related. That is exactly why Hyundai and its suppliers Denso, Motonics, and many others are VectorCAST users.

Safety is one of the key issues in automobile development. Keeping you safe on the road is a priority, not just for Hyundai, but for all of the automotive industry. Safety functions are increasingly being carried out by electronic or programmable electronic systems. This means, among other things, making sure these embedded software systems are fully tested to be safe and reliable.

It is a good feeling to contribute to the safety of drivers all over the world. It certainly provides you with an extra feeling of ownership in the car you drive.

And for those of you wondering, I am getting over 42 MPG on the road; which is better than the 40 MPG advertised. Pretty good for a vehicle this size.

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

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