EAST-ADL for automotive embedded architectures

EAST-ADL is a Domain-Specific Modeling (DSM) language addressing the needs of model-based development of industrial scale automotive embedded systems. It covers the specification of vehicle features, functional architectures and hardware architectures — all related to traceable requirements.

MetaEdit+ provides a multi-user development environment with a repository-based architecture scaling to large systems and models — up to 4 billion model elements per project. Since MetaEdit+ is a DSM tool, the EAST-ADL metamodel can be adapted to specific needs along with full access to generators and linked with other models and tools.

The models of EAST-ADL are structured in abstraction levels, where each sub-model represents the complete embedded system at the relevant level of detail. The abstraction levels of EAST-ADL maps to the abstraction levels given in ISO 26262. The architecture models can be translated to various software architectures, including AUTOSAR, JasPar and in-house frameworks. Modeling capabilities cover:

• Requirements and their traceability along with integration with external requirements managements tools (ReqIF, Excel import and export)
• Features and feature dependencies for product variant planning
• Functional architectures on both analysis and design level
• Hardware architectures and their allocation to functions
• Dependability and error modeling (ISO 26262 safety design flow). Safety design is supported by automatic creation of dependability and error models from nominal functional architectures
• Security modeling to specify vulnerabilities and attacks in relation to developed features
• Behavior of the system via temporal, causal and computational constraints

Modeling tools provide integrated modeling support for the various views and levels. The models are checked based on the correctness, consistency and completeness rules. Verified and valid models can then be used with various generators and transformations — many developed in collaboration with our partners. Currently generators are available for:

• Simulink: import, export, checking
• SoftwareComponent mappings to software platforms like AUTOSAR
• HIPHOPS: Failure analysis
• Document generation (RTF, WORD, HTML, etc.)
• Requirements (ReqIF)
• Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) for model exchange

Transformations are also available for external requirements management tools (e.g. Excel), importing existing definitions such as data types, and using the XML format for interchanging models and metamodels between the tools. With the API, models in MetaEdit+ can be fully accessed and animated from external analysis tools and IDE tools (e.g. Visual Studio and Eclipse).

In collaboration with us, customers have created generators to support their internal processes and targets like:

• AUTOSAR
• Modelica
• SPIN
• Stateflow
• UPPAAL
• Isograph: Reliability Workbench
• Testing environments

The complete version is provided as a repository for MetaEdit+ users and it is licensed separately. For full version of modeling and generator support, call sales +358 400 648 606 or contact info@metacase.com.