Equipping vehicles with advanced safety systems is critical for effectively mitigating risks, evading accidents, and protecting occupants. C++ is the most popular programming language widely used to design and automate high-end and reliable safety-critical applications in automotive embedded systems.
In this article, we will dig deeper into the role of C++ in automotive safety systems.
What are Automotive Safety Systems?
Automotive safety systems are technologies and smart devices integrated into automobiles that help prevent accidents, augment occupant safety, and limit the possibilities of collisions. Both active and passive safety elements are included in this system. Seat belts, airbags, and vehicle structures fall into the passive element, whereas, the active element consists of an anti-lock braking system, Lane departure warning system (LSDWS), electronic stability control (ESC), adaptive cruise control (ACC), etc.
That said, to ensure these automated systems integrated into modern vehicles are reliable, effective coding fed into the system software is critical.
C++ has long been considered the bedrock of automatic software development. C++ codes are used to develop intricate algorithms and real-time functionalities that power these systems.
Why is C++ Used in Automotive Safety Systems?
C and C++, the derivative of C, are the two most implemented programming languages used in the Safety Critical Systems in the automotive sector driven by micro-controller-based embedded systems.
Case in point: C++ has been used in developing automotive software for the last four decades. Furthermore, a 2011 VDC Research Survey reported that C is used in the industry at a percentage of 70, followed by C++. On the other hand, other popular programming languages, such as Pearl, Python, Java, etc., are not feasible to use in automotive safety systems due to their lack of functional safety stability.
Again, the efficiency, code robustness, and maintainability C++ offers while developing safety-critical software help the automotive industry easily comply with the ISO 26262 standard. Adhering to the ISO 26262 standard is critical to ensure the functional safety of safety-critical systems in vehicles. In addition, the capability of reconciling high-level structured programming with low-level techniques makes the adoption of C++ a strategic imperative in the automotive industry.
How is C++ Used in the Automotive Safety Systems
First off, a C++ code is written that ensures effective execution of a specific task, such as collision detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, etc. Then the code is compiled into executable software running on the embedded hardware system within the target automobile. Once deployed, the software component run on C++ interacts with actuators, sensors, and other safety-critical components. The aim is to enable effective analysis of the surroundings, and identification of potential hazards, thus, ultimately triggering safety interventions when required.
A set of guidelines and safety framework – called MISRA (Motor Industry Software Reliability Association) – has been developed for the automobile industry to follow. MISRA coding standard offer developers predefined rules and recommendations on writing codes aiming at augmenting the security, stability, maintainability, and reliability of safety-critical software in vehicles. MISRA standard for C++ also ensures your code is consistent. In addition, MISRA enables efficient memory management, and error debugging in safety software.
On the other hands, AUTOSAR offers developers an open and standerdised software architecture framework to help develop scalable, interoperable and reusable software component in automotive electronic control units (ECUs).
Benefits of C++ in Automotive Safety Systems
The benefits of adopting C++ while developing automotive safety-critical systems are:
- Efficiency: The high-end performance and efficiency of C++ programming shows enable real-time data processing seamlessly. Needless to mention, real-time data processing makes code optimisation effortless in safety-critical applications. Thus, the vehicle can respond to any critical situation on the road almost immediately, allowing for timely intervention.
- Low-level Control: With C++, developers can have low-level control over hardware elements, such as actuators, microcontrollers, sensors, etc. This low-level control allows developers to make the code interface with the aforementioned components effectively. The result is accurate and efficient operation of the safety system.
- Real-Time Responsiveness: C++ coding enables real-time responsiveness in the embedded system within an automotive safety application. This feature allows for the safety system in a vehicle to respond to any sensor data it receives and triggers automotive safety systems to respond in real time to incoming sensor data and trigger appropriate actions without delays. This real-time responsiveness is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of safety features such as collision avoidance systems and adaptive cruise control.
- Support for Object-Oriented Programming: One of the key features of C++ that drives its usability in automotive safety systems is support for object-oriented programming (OOP). It empowers developers to write reusable, modular, and easily manageable codes even for intricate safety algorithms.
- Versatility: The versatility of C++ makes it suitable for programming and automating a range of tasks. From equipping safety systems with different components to writing complex algorithms, C++ can make almost all tasks in an automotive safety system easily manageable. Thus, the required functionalities can be implemented and customised within a safety system.
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