Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Test

Testing vehicle components and embedded control systems can be hazardous and time consuming. Employing simulation, HIL engineers can validate embedded controllers (ECUs) earlier in the design cycle to save time and improve test coverage.

Develop Flexible Automotive HIL Systems Using a Modular Test Platform

HIL tests (and XiL test methods in general) help validate embedded software on automotive ECUs using simulation and modeling techniques to shorten test times and increase coverage, especially for test cases that are hard to reliably replicate in physical lab/track/field testing. HIL testing is needed now more than ever to ensure the reliability of rapidly evolving EV and ADAS/Active Safety systems. As a test methodology, HIL is crucial for testing the increasing connectivity and interdependence between systems and vehicle domains as they jointly contribute to key vehicle attributes. NI’s HIL solutions are open and flexible. They provide for third-party model and device integration and the ability to adapt to inevitable changes in signal lists and I/O requirements. With NI, system ownership is with you, not the test vendor, so that you can maximize HIL system reuse throughout verification and validation on a common test architecture.

HIL Resource Kit

View these technical tutorials to learn about assessing test system architectures, selecting test system I/O interfaces, and using fault insertion units in electronic test for HIL applications.

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Featured Content

Engineers use hardware-in-the-loop simulation to test electronic control units in a virtual environment.

Hardware-in-the-loop test helps engineers improve their designs earlier than traditional test approaches.

Engineer doing mechanical work on an NI HIL rig with a monitor showing NI’s HIL software VeriStand next to him.

Products and Solutions

Vehicle Systems Integration HIL Test

The Vehicle Integration HIL Test is a software-based HIL test system with pin configuration that can handle product changes without the need to change hardware.
VeriStand

VeriStand is software for real-time test applications. You can use it to perform tasks such as stimulus generation, data acquisition, calculated channels, and custom channel scaling.
PXI Systems

PXI systems provide high-performance modular instruments and other I/O modules that feature specialized synchronization and key software features for test and measurement applications from device validation to automated production test.
SLSC

NI SLSC (Switch, Load and Signal Conditioning) is an add-on for NI data acquisition products like PXI and CompactRIO. SLSC standardizes connectivity and provides a modular approach to signal conditioning, fault insertion and other test needs.
Vehicle Communication Software Suite

The NI Vehicle Communication (VCOM) Software Suite is AUTOSAR compatible, supports multiple automotive protocols, and simplifies ECU variant testing with minimal programming. It offers seamless restbus simulation, diagnostics, calibration, and web-based configuration.
FlexRIO

FlexRIO instruments combine large, user-programmable FPGAs and high-performance analog, digital, and RF I/O to offer the flexibility of custom hardware without the cost of custom design.