For Immediate Release
With vehicle control functions becoming more complex, the current approach to calibration has to change because otherwise, the effort and means needed to conduct calibration projects will escalate to non-sustainable levels. New emissions legislation, a higher number of vehicle variants, more complex electromechanical systems, networked functions across domains, and electrification of the powertrain – these are the main drivers behind this increase in complexity.
One of the main ways to counteract this trend is to reduce the time needed to perform calibration in the vehicle. An all-too common occurrence is that after test drives have been conducted, calibration engineers cannot find the root cause of an issue because information is missing from the recorded measurement data file. Due to system performance limitations, only a subset of all ECU signals are recorded, and this subset often turns out to be insufficient for analysis. Engineers are forced to reproduce the issue in an additional drive cycle, repeating all the effort required to set up the vehicle system and adjust the recording configuration. The next generation of ETAS measurement and calibration products addresses this lack of efficiency, enabling engineers to measure all signals during the calibration of a powertrain ECU. This results in fewer test drives, less time to finish the calibration tasks, and fewer vehicle prototypes needed.
ETAS’ next generation of measurement and calibration products
With the release of the new FETK High-speed Microcontroller and the ES891 ECU and Bus Interface Module, ETAS has deployed a high-performance solution for 
measuring and calibrating powertrain ECUs. ETAS’ INCA V7.2 Measurement and Calibration Software completes the solution, which can be applied in vehicles, in the lab, or in virtual environments. This system provides a data throughput 20 times higher than current systems with hardly any effect on ECU runtime. Depending on the ECU setup, the new products will be able to handle more that 40,000 variables, mastering up to two ECU connections within one ES891. Signals out of CAN, CAN FD, FlexRAy, and LIN buses as well as from digital and analog I/Os can also be handled with a highly accurate time synchronization of less than 1 microsecond. Moreover, the system can be easily expanded by combining more than one ES891 or further devices from the new high-performance ES800 family, simply by stacking the devices n top of each other without any additional cabling.
To transfer these immense amounts of data into the ETAS INCA measurement and calibration software, the ES891 connects to the PC with a high-speed Gigabit Ethernet connection, allowing data rates of up to 120 MB/s. Open standards such as XCP-on-Ethernet for ECU access and IEEE1588 for time synchronization make it easy to integrate FETK/ES891 with third-party hardware and software tools.
“With the ETAS FETK/ES891 solution, OEMs will be ready to implement a modular system that meets the higher performance requirements for validating electronic systems in the next generations of vehicles,” explains Tim Foster, Manager Measurement, Calibration and Diagnostic Solutions at ETAS Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “This system, together with ETAS INCA 7.2, will significantly increase both the efficiency and quality of the calibration and validation of electronic systems in the vehicle, in the lab, and in virtual environments.”
About ETAS
ETAS provides innovative solutions for the development of embedded systems for the automotive industry and other sectors of the embedded industry. As a systems provider, ETAS supplies a multifaceted portfolio that covers the range from integrated tools and tool solutions to engineering services, consulting, training, and support. Security solutions in the area of embedded systems are offered by the ETAS subsidiary ESCRYPT. Established in 1994, ETAS GmbH is a 100-percent subsidiary of the Bosch Group, with international subsidiaries and sales offices in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. www.etas.com
