Validation methodology for fault-tolerant advanced driver assistance systems

Project members: O.J. Gietelink, B. De Schutter, M. Verhaegen, J. Ploeg (TNO Automotive)

Sponsored by: TNO-TRAIL

The main objective of this project is the development of a methodology for the validation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs). Examples of ADASs are adaptive cruise control (automatic distance keeping), collision warning systems, and pre-crash systems. An ADAS uses environment sensors (e.g. radar, laser, camera vision), electronic control functions, and actuators (brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire) to recognize critical traffic situations, give an appropriate warning to the driver, or react autonomously. In the development process of ADASs a number of challenges still lie ahead. The growing number of intelligent vehicle control systems and their interaction causes an increasing complexity of the control architecture, whereas the demand for reliability and safety of these systems has increased. Design and validation of these systems, especially regarding safety and reliability, therefore requires a growing effort in the product development process of these systems.

To improve the robustness and fault management of ADASs, often measures such as redundancy and fault-tolerant control systems are implemented. A fault management system can detect faults in e.g. radar sensor, communication systems or actuators (brake, throttle) and react accordingly. Currently, simulations and full-scale prototype tests on a test track are used to validate an ADAS. Simulations are however often not reliable enough, and test drives can be dangerous, difficult to analyze and difficult to reproduce. An efficient methodology is thus required for analyzing the reliability of the system. For this purpose TNO Automotive has developed VEHIL (VEhicle Hardware-In-the-Loop), a laboratory for the development and testing of intelligent vehicles. The VEHIL concept allows for conducting experiments on ADASs in a laboratory environment. Figure 28 gives an impression of a VEHIL test. Within this project the focus lies on the validation of the robustness and fault management of the ADAS control system using VEHIL.

Figure 28: VEHIL laboratory setup.