How CARIAD and PROTOS are accelerating software development with ArchE architectural modeling
CARIAD experience report
CARIAD, the Volkswagen Group’s software subsidiary, relies on the ArchE architecture tool—developed in collaboration with PROTOS to develop its scalable software architectures. This tool enables model-based collaboration between software and vehicle development teams.
"With ArchE, we’re bringing vehicle and software development together and improving the development process at every level."
Tristan Swinden, Product Manager at CARIAD
Experiences
The Challenge
CARIAD develops synergistic software platforms and digital customer features in the areas of infotainment, driving dynamics and energy systems, automated driving, as well as backend and cloud solutions for the Volkswagen Group’s brands.
As digital technology rapidly becomes more prevalent in automobiles, the complexity of software and hardware architectures is increasing significantly. This requires advanced development tools that support developers in designing, modeling, and managing complex system architectures. With ArchE, CARIAD and PROTOS have developed a customized architecture tool that accelerates and optimizes the development of complex automotive systems.
The Solution
Working closely together, the teams at CARIAD and PROTOS decided to use domain-specific languages (DSLs) for architecture development. The added value of this approach lies in the fact that processes and methods can be directly embedded and customized within the tool. Particular attention can be paid to the quality and scalability of the solution.
ArchE, based on JetBrains MPS, combines many aspects of the existing tool landscape and covers the entire architecture development process with a focus on software architecture.
PROTOS was involved in ArchE from the very beginning, providing essential input on the tool architecture and interfaces. Working closely with users, CARIAD and PROTOS defined and implemented the hardware modeling aspect in ArchE. Additionally, PROTOS helped ensure that the technical communication architecture and hardware of existing product lines could be imported from PREEvision into ArchE via a proprietary interface.
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