In the last 20 years, hardware‐in‐the‐loop (
HIL
) simulation has become an integral part of the electronic control unit (
ECU
) software development process for both original equipment manufacturers (
OEMs
) and suppliers. In many companies, successful
HIL
tests are even the precondition for system approval. At the present time, the main requirements for
HIL
simulation systems are
versatility for different test tasks;
flexibility during
HIL
testing due to changing workflows;
reduced time to market for new
ECU
software;
management of increasing vehicle function complexity.
This chapter introduces
HIL
simulation and describes its objectives, as well as the different roles involved. The hardware and software components (SWCs) of
HIL
simulation are also presented, with an explanation on how to successfully integrate
HIL
tests into the existing development process. The chapter concludes by looking at future
HIL
simulation requirements.
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