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This paper highlights and discusses the development and deployment of an enterprise-level tool infrastructure that fits into the production build environment of Ford Motor Company. A particular focus is on navigating bottlenecks and pitfalls that arise with the adoption of a model-based software development process. This includes provisions to support centralized data and architecture artifact management (including version control across the lifecycle of the software), support to integrate and manage legacy software artifacts, support to archive and bookshelf development milestones, and last but not least, built-in intelligence to spot potential sources of software defects early in the development stage.

The Controls and Software Engineering Team at BorgWarner Drivetrain Systems has successfully employed model-based software development for the past several years. Their drivetrain system control software, developed using MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow, and autocoded using TargetLink, is on the road in many passenger vehicle applications. Using these tools, BorgWarner has realized the widely recognized benefits of model-based design; such as increased speed to market, improved quality, and reduced complexity. Validating algorithms early through simulation and rapid prototyping, then translating them to production software through automatic code generation has proven very successful for BorgWarner. When starting with model-based design, the BorgWarner team focused on developing the core application control algorithms in the modeling environment. Lower-level software such as I/O drivers, the task scheduler, and communication logic was still hand-coded.

There is a clear sense of urgency among the automotive industry to cut the cost and time spent on all aspects of vehicle development, and move as much as possible towards virtual design practices. In the area of embedded engine control systems development this move requires that the industry gradually accept a paradigm shift towards a rigorously model-based design practice. This paper elaborates on current shortcomings in the development process and highlights key prerequisites that enable virtual design for engine control applications.