Applying the V-Model in Automotive Software Development
The role of electronic systems in the automotive industry is continuously expanding. As the number of electronic functions increases, so do the number of ECUs in the vehicle. This increase in ECUs and electronic functions results in the associated software becoming more complex and expansive.
According to Markets and Markets, the global automotive software market is projected to grow to USD 37 billion by 2025, from USD 16.9 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 16.9%. Statistics show that software plays a vital role in various vehicle functions, and this role is expected to proliferate in the future.
As a mission-critical industry, the automotive development process must adhere to regulatory standards such as ISO 26262 and ASPICE to minimize the risk of failure. Following standard development procedures can have a positive outcome on the success of automotive functions and software. V-Model is one of the widely used software development processes in the automotive industry.
To put it simply, V-Model (where V stands for verification and validation) splits the development process into two parts — the left arm of the V consists of requirement analysis, function design, and software development while the right arm concentrates on the verification and validation activities followed by the release. The V-model is an extension of the waterfall methodology. V-Model emphasizes testing, particularly the need for early test planning. Each phase of the V-model aligns with the ASPICE standard and helps in clearly defining a life cycle.
