NI and ETAS join forces to advance hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) verification

National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI), a leading provider of software-defined platforms, helps accelerate the development and performance of automated test and automated measurement systems. The background and benefits of the joint venture ETAS NI Systems with ETAS GmbH were announced today.

Vehicle manufacturers and their supply chains are facing increasingly complex automotive systems and a long list of test scenarios to validate the operation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). With each consumer-driven innovation, this list of test scenarios continues to expand, forcing automotive OEMs and their suppliers to determine how to implement repeatable real-world testing. On top of that, they have to deal with the complexities of electrified powertrains, which include: electric motors, inverters, and batteries. Every component is undergoing significant innovation to improve efficiency and driving experience, so testing needs are constantly changing.

By employing simulation techniques, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems provide an efficient, repeatable, and practical method that engineers can use to meet their specific test needs and route costly and potentially dangerous roads Tests are minimized. In the past, these testing needs had to be met by custom closed test systems that were redesigned from the ground up for each unique set of customer requirements, or by in-house test teams by integrating components from different test vendors.

ETAS NI Systems is currently building pre-integrated HIL systems designed to shorten design cycles, reduce test time, and help customers get to market faster. By combining ETAS’ technical expertise in developing and integrating HIL solutions with NI’s software-defined platform and comprehensive I/O capabilities, test teams can benefit from two existing approaches. Pre-integrated systems can be quickly configured through a common infrastructure to meet the specific needs of each customer, and building on the NI platform also means that testers can be changed at any time to keep pace with technological change.

ETAS NI Systems will be fully operational by January 1, 2020.