Integration of automotive mechatronic components in HIL simulation

In automotive electronics, there is an increasing trend towards mechatronic: components, which are mainly characterized by the spatial and functional integration of sensors and actuators. Such mechatronic components make particular demands on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation as the standard test method in the development cycle. In addition to the electrical interfaces, electronic interfaces (such as protocols for intelligent sensors and actuators) and physical interfaces (for integrated sensors and actuators) also now need to be adequately served. Taking an ESP control unit as an example, this paper shows how dSPACE Simulator can be used to test these new mechatronics components as part of HIL simulation.