Hexagon ramps up ADAS software innovation with cloud-native quality test automation solution

New cloud solution simplifies ADAS software testing by integrating comprehensive “real world” vehicle environment and safety scenarios into automated continuous software integration and testing workflows 

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division introduces a new cloud-native solution to test, train, and validate Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle systems. Utilising hyperscale computing and automation, Virtual Test Drive X (VTDx) enables the automotive industry to validate the quality and function of software against thousands of real-world scenarios automatically, accelerating the time to market for safe mobility innovations. 

Software plays an increasing role in vehicle design, enabling innovations that deliver convenience and safety for customers, but today’s software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are putting more pressure on the automotive teams delivering ADAS features. As vehicles integrate more sensors, adopt advanced chips and operating systems and apply increasingly complex AI and software algorithms, software development and testing create bottlenecks that delay vehicle launches and feature deployment. Safety and compliance is paramount, but the business impact is also tangible – underperforming ADAS features frustrate customers and vehicle recalls significantly impact brand loyalty and profits.  

Ensuring the quality and safety of ADAS software developments is very cost and time intensive, but critical because the cost of fixing defects when a vehicle is ready for production is fifteen times greater*. VTDx addresses these challenges with a comprehensive consumption-based service that makes it easier to scale up virtual prototyping and mitigate the delays, high-cost, and safety risks associated with physical testing. The Software as a Service (SaaS) is built from the bottom up to utilise the cloud computing power and automation of Hexagon’s Nexus digital reality platform, enabling software teams can build rigorous testing into their continuous test and integration workflows for ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems.

From an intuitive web interface, ADAS engineers can easily create and configure their system under test (SUT) such as ADAS algorithms. They can validate their SUT with highly accurate physics-based simulations from Hexagon’s environment simulation engine that leverages its 15 years of domain expertise. When developers run a test, VTDx executes the OpenDRIVE and OpenSCENARIO standard compliant software-in-the-loop (SIL) test programmes. By orchestrating tens or thousands of simulations of – as many scenarios as needed – automatically and simultaneously, companies can significantly reduce delays in configuration and computing time for their standardised SIL test programmes. 

VTDx addresses the dramatic change in ADAS as electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures are centralised and regulations become more stringent. It enables new SDV testing strategies that align with modern software development practices and embeds vital physical safety testing practices that are unique to the ADAS component of the vehicle codebase. Its high-productivity, highly scalable code test and integration approach provides: 

• Continuous integration and continuous testing (CI/CT): Enables continuous development, integration, and testing, allowing for faster software iterations and releases.  
• Seamless workflow integration: Easily integrates with existing ADAS development toolchains, embedding into existing customer workflows with modern, well-defined APIs and open environment simulation standards. 
• Ease of use: Intuitive configurations of sensors and test scenarios with user-friendly operation. 
• Scalability: Supports parallel scenario execution and real-time collaboration among global teams, making it scalable for various ADAS development needs. 
• Cloud availability: Available as a public or private SaaS, VTDx can be easily deployed by small and large organizations with consumption-based pricing and 24-7 availability. 
• Accessibility: Users can share a project with globally-spread team members, making scenario setups and results available in real-time through an intuitive web-based user experience. 

Available publicly for the first time today, VTDx has been well received throughout Hexagon’s automotive OEM and Tier one customer base for its intuitive high-productivity user experience, hands-off automation of thousands of code-test simulations and the provision of consumption-based pricing. It was developed in close collaboration with the Microsoft Azure team, realizes photorealistic visualization via the Unreal Engine, and provides full support for the ASAM-maintained OpenSCENARIO and OpenDRIVE standards. 

“We embarked on a journey to build our cloud-based ADAS simulation software from the ground up with CI/CT processes in mind, addressing the software development challenges our automotive customers face today. Whether aiming to increase test coverage, shorten test cycles, or automate workflows, our VTDx solution offers significant benefits.” said Mahesh Kailasam, General Manager at Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division. 

VTDx enables automakers to rigorously test and validate their ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems in a SIL environment, ensuring safety and performance. It is available as a public SaaS with consumption-based pricing on Nexus from today, with private cloud deployments available on request. 

Learn more at https://nexus.hexagon.com/home/product/virtual-test-drive-x/