Why NI for HIL?

As automotive systems become increasingly software-driven, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing plays a critical role in ensuring reliability, safety, and performance across complex electronic and embedded systems. To keep pace with the rapid evolution of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs), HIL platforms must be designed with flexibility, scalability, and integration in mind.

NI constantly develops its HIL platform to be compliant with latest technologies and fulfill all the requirements that modern HIL testing technologies must meet to support efficient and effective validation of automotive software:

  • Modular Architecture: Test systems should be modular enough to support staged setup, verification, and implementation, enabling incremental development and testing.
  • Scalability Across System Complexity: Capable of testing both individual components and complete automotive systems, from ECUs to full vehicle networks.
  • Hybrid Hardware Support: Seamless switching between simulated and physical hardware without significant downtime, allowing for dynamic test configurations.
  • Rapid Model Adaptation: Ability to test different vehicle models with or without varying electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures in less than a day, supporting fast iteration cycles.
  • HIL Interoperability & Co-simulation: Enables integration across platforms from different vendors, enhancing workflow reuse and access to diverse technologies.
  • SIL/Cloud Connectivity to HIL: Enables scalable, distributed testing and seamless integration across development stages, improving validation efficiency and resource utilization.
  • Network Interoperability: Test systems must interact smoothly with distributed network architectures, including CAN, LIN, Ethernet, and FlexRay.
  • Automated Operation: Support for continuous, unattended test execution to maximize throughput and reduce manual intervention.
  • CI/CD Compatibility: Integration with continuous integration and validation pipelines to support agile development and automated regression testing.
  • Hardware Feedback Integration: Capability to provide actionable feedback on hardware configurations during validation, enabling faster debugging and optimization.