By Abhijeet Shinde
Publication Date: 2025-09-08 12:00:00
Leap to Level 4
Advancing from Level 0 to Level 3 is a gradual journey with steady improvements in tools, skills, and investments. However, reaching Level 4 is a significant leap. Unlike earlier stages that rely on host-simulated environments, Level 4 requires cycle-accurate silicon models and precise target simulations. This demands early collaboration with silicon vendors and auto OEMs, as development cannot progress without access to virtual hardware models.
While hardware simulation for SDVs may seem at odds with the idea of hardware-agnostic systems, true independence can only be achieved through rigorous, multi-platform software validation. Level 4 virtualisation enables early testing of software portability and compatibility across different hardware, ensuring robust performance from the design stage.
Level 4 virtualisation comes at a cost. It requires unique tools, licensing virtual prototypes from silicon vendors, and robust compute infrastructure—on-premises or in the cloud. This means investments soar compared to Level 3.
Complicating matters further, most vendors offer hardware models only for their central System on Chip (SoCs). At the same time, real-world ECUs are often systems-on-modules that incorporate multiple peripherals, such as Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), memory, and various interfaces. Modeling these additional chips slows down simulations, making it essential to choose virtualisation levels judiciously for each application.
