The automotive development lifecycle is defined by the V-model for verification and validation. Multiple process stages directly tie into each other through shared inputs and outputs. System architecture plays a key role in the lifecycle by reducing project complexity while also having a direct impact on both the requirements that define the project as well as the testing that accompanies it. Unfortunately, too often in the automotive industry, robust system architecture is not created or maintained during product development. When architecture is unavailable, gaps are created in the other process levels due to their connectivity and interdependencies.

This presentation will cover: (a) how architecture simplifies automotive systems; (b) the impact missing or incomplete architecture has on other levels within the V-model; (c) an initial method to identify gaps within the architecture for an existing system. In addition, the direct impact that unfulfilled system architecture leaves during an Automotive SPICE (ASPICE) assessment will be discussed. Through these topics, the importance of architecture will be made clear to ensure that an automotive system has a complete set of requirements as well as full integration testing.

Included will be a technical analysis of how system architecture directly ties-in with requirements elicitation and analysis, leads to improved integration testing, and makes a major impact on an ASPICE evaluation.

Speaker Biography

Jakob Egan leads the Center of Excellence (CoE) for Design & Architecture at INVENSITY Inc., a Detroit-based technology consultancy. Over his 6 years in the Automotive and Commercial Vehicle industries, Jakob has helped Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs tackle their system development challenges, focusing on Functional Safety, Requirements Management, Test Management and Cybersecurity. At INVENSITY, Jakob actively develops his colleagues’ consulting and engineering competence both as a formal mentor and through the CoE structure. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a BSE in Electrical Engineering.