Since last year, OTA (Over-the-Air) has gradually shifted from being a selling point for a few "high-end players" to a widely applied feature in the automotive industry. Both traditional and emerging OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have begun to lay out their strategies for OTA, leading to a comprehensive blossoming of OTA functionalities from development and testing to practical application.

We know that any function of a vehicle undergoes testing before it goes into production to verify its completeness, and OTA is no exception. The OTA function itself almost involves all major functional domains of the vehicle, increasing the difficulty and complexity of its testing. In previous articles about OTA, we have detailed the methods and key points of OTA testing, and shared solutions through actual cases implemented by Polelink.

As a pioneer in OTA testing, let’s take a look today at what new changes the popularization of OTA functionalities has brought to the entire OTA testing field.

Enhanced Status of OTA

If OTA functionalities were previously considered an added bonus, it is likely that in the next two years, OTA functionalities will become basic features, akin to smartphone cameras—“I can do without it, but I can’t live without it.” The investment from major OEMs in the development of OTA-related functions indicates that the status of OTA has been further elevated. In fact, many manufacturers have even separated OTA into a dedicated functional domain, highlighting the current importance of OTA functionalities. Consequently, OTA testing, as a guarantee of OTA functions, naturally sees its status rise as well.

Further Compression of Development Cycles

The competition in the domestic automotive market is becoming increasingly fierce, and the development cycle for vehicles has been significantly compressed compared to previous years. The development time for various functional domains has also been reduced, but the perception of this change is more pronounced for OTA. Nowadays, many vehicle functions are gradually realized after delivery, and this is possible only if the vehicle is equipped with OTA capabilities. Therefore, it can be said that robust OTA functionalities are a vital foundation for ensuring the normal activation of subsequent vehicle functions. As OTA is also a basic function directly experienced by users, the development cycle for OTA functionalities will naturally be subjected to even greater compression.

Polelink’s Next-Generation OTA Testing Solution

I believe that upon seeing the title of this article, you have already begun to wonder why we are pushing for an upgrade of the OTA testing solution. In fact, after completing the design of the initial OTA automation/semi-automation testing solution, we have been actively promoting its implementation while providing quality service to clients, and simultaneously considering the next generation of OTA testing solutions. The reason is simple: the initial solution can address the basic problems but cannot meet our higher requirements for OTA testing. Meanwhile, an increasing number of OEMs are becoming interested in OTA testing, and industry development has posed new demands on testing solutions.

Based on the above needs, we have envisioned the next-generation testing solution while implementing the initial one. Compared to the previous solution, we primarily focus on the following issues:

More Comprehensive Test Coverage

The new solution integrates component-level, system-level, and real-vehicle level testing, allowing for comprehensive OTA testing within a single testing system managed by a unified terminal. On this basis, we can also adapt the testing platform to more hardware systems (e.g., cabinets, small vehicle-mounted chassis).

Wider Test Compatibility

In the new solution, we have abstracted the testing process, making it easier to configure and adjust. There are often subtle differences in OTA processes across different vehicle models, and in the new solution, these adjustments can be quickly adapted through configuration files, achieving rapid compatibility with new vehicle models, shortening development cycles, and enhancing both the compatibility and efficiency of the testing system.

Greater Freedom for System Expansion

Although the new testing solution is based on OTA testing, it is not limited to OTA testing alone. The unified interface allows for greater freedom of extensibility; as long as the same interface is followed, various tools, plugins, and hardware devices can be integrated into the testing system, becoming part of it and enabling different functionalities.

Next-Generation OTA Testing Solution

Polelink's second-generation OTA testing solution, developed based on the first-generation OTA testing solution, maintains the complete vehicle electronic and electrical system simulation and testing system of the first generation. The overall architecture adopts a “1+N+3” format: “1” represents the unified testing management platform PAVELINK, “N” indicates compatibility with multiple testing tools and hardware, and “3” signifies full coverage of three testing scenarios: component, bench, and vehicle.

When discussing the first-generation testing solution, those who have read the article on OTA automated testing solutions will find it familiar. Through the first-generation solution, we addressed the fundamental question of whether OTA testing is viable, transforming OTA testing from a “black-box testing” approach—focused on outputs—to a “white-box testing” method that employs full-link monitoring and analysis within the vehicle.

At the same time, through years of technical accumulation, we have developed the capability to simulate various signals within the vehicle. This allows us to separate core OTA components from the actual vehicle to conduct subsystem-level testing. We can even isolate specific components to perform component-level testing, enabling early detection and correction of OTA issues.

PAVELINK, as Polelink's self-developed testing management platform, is the core of the entire solution. It encompasses a series of functions including the creation and management of testing tasks, the execution of testing projects, the collection and statistical analysis of testing results, and the recording and archiving of testing logs. Developed on a server-client model, it enables remote server access, allowing stakeholders to monitor testing progress without needing to be present at the testing site.

All test results and data are aggregated on the server, which means the platform can conduct overall statistics and analysis of the testing situation, facilitating global monitoring, global statistics, and global assessment.

In addition, the agent engine deployed on the client side provides a unified interface for various tools, enabling their compatibility within the testing projects managed by the platform. This allows for the integration of CANoe projects, programmable devices, and self-developed tools or plugins into the testing framework, helping us achieve our testing objectives.

In terms of the testing environment, the next-generation solution can operate on test benches, testing cabinets, and compact onboard testing systems, providing hardware support for component-level, system-level, and real-vehicle testing. Whether for testing cabinets or onboard systems, Polelink can customize development to meet different requirements and make corresponding adaptations within the management platform, thereby satisfying various special needs of clients on a generalized basis.

Regarding automation, we achieve deep integration with user-provided server interfaces, allowing for the customized development of server automatic control modules. This enables functionalities such as automatic generation and distribution of testing tasks, as well as real-time monitoring of backend data. As a result, stress testing can operate independently of human involvement, running continuously for 24 hours and significantly enhancing testing efficiency.

Finally, the universal interface lays the foundation for the expansion of the management platform. Any module that meets the interface definition can be directly integrated into the testing logic and called through functions. Polelink's self-developed proxy engine, CANoe Agent, can aggregate all commands and perform interface conversions for different testing modules, ensuring that the entire system remains frequently updated and relevant.

Summary

Polelink has always been committed to providing clients with higher-quality solutions. We aim not only to address basic questions but also to offer more universal, convenient, and comprehensive solutions from the client's perspective. For OTA testing, the seamless integration of the two generations of solutions reflects years of dedicated technical accumulation. We hope our solutions can assist more clients in meeting their OTA testing needs and contribute to the advancement of the domestic automotive industry as a whole.

If you are interested in our solutions or have related testing needs, we welcome you to contact us for more in-depth technical discussions.