AUTOSAR-Compatible Level-4 Virtual ECU for the Verification of the Target Binary for Cloud-Native Development

The rapid evolution of automotive software necessitates efficient and accurate development and verification processes. This study proposes a virtual electronic control unit (vECU) that allows for precise software testing without the need for hardware, thereby reducing developmental costs and enabling cloud-native development. The software was configured and built on a Hyundai Autoever AUTomotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) classic platform, Mobilgene, and Renode was used for high-fidelity emulations. Custom peripherals in C# were implemented for the FlexTimer, system clock generator, and analog-to-digital converter to ensure the proper functionality of the vECU. Renode’s GNU debugger server function facilitates detailed software debugging in a cloud environment, further accelerating the developmental cycle. Additionally, automated testing was implemented using a vECU tester to enable the verification of the vECU. Performance evaluations demonstrated that the vECU’s execution order and timing of tasks and runnable entities closely matched those of the actual ECU. The vECU tester also enabled fast and accurate verification. These findings confirm the potential of the AUTOSAR-compatible Level-4 vECU to replace hardware in development processes. Future efforts will focus on extending capabilities to emulate a broader range of hardware components and complex system integration scenarios, supporting more diverse research and development efforts.