ADAS Testing with TPT: Scenario-Based Strategies and Validation

Challenges of ADAS Testing

Testing ADAS requires particular validation, specifically, because Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are always safety-relevant. In order to develop reliable systems, it makes a difference whether an obstacle is located right in front of the vehicle or a little bit further to the side, for example. In fact, it is even mandatory under all circumstances that relevant objects be detected and classified.

Falsely identified (non-existing) objects pose an immense threat, as well, since they can lead to spontaneous unwarranted braking, for example. Once detected, objects are usually tracked for a while to be really certain. Additionally, the systems need to function reliably under any conceivable (and inconceivable) environmental conditions: in the dark, in case of snow when sensors are covered with ice, in case of reflections due to a wet or dirty street, and so on. As a result, an enormous amount of testing needs to be done.

Advantages of Test Scenarios

While a test is always a sample, systematizing the development process provides a clear path to testing. This is done by introducing scenarios. A scenario can be understood as the systematic description of a driving situation and its contingent events under various circumstances.

According to ASAM, a test scenario describes parts of a test, while multiple test are subsumed and executed within a so-called test campaign. Testing based on scenarios offers a systematic and efficient approach to test automation. Once driving scenarios are defined, scenario-based testing has the clear advantage that parameters can be easily changed, and various components of scenarios can be selected and combined systematically.

TPT facilitates scenario-based testing

TPT is especially suitable for scenario-based testing of embedded control systems. And systematized test automation is naturally supported with the TPT testing tool. That is because scenarios constitute the inherent concept of tests in TPT. Therefore TPT is used not only for ADAS testing, but also for any other kind of embedded testing. Moreover, TPT supports all relevant automation standards stipulated by ASAM, such as XIL, ASAP 3, MCD-3 MC and more.

In short, with TPT you can build and scale many tests even from few scenarios: easily and nicely visualized.