Multicore Analysis Service and Tools for Embedded Critical Systems

Project Information

MASTECS

Grant agreement ID: 878752

DOI

10.3030/878752

Project closed

EC signature date 5 November 2019

Start date 1 December 2019

End date 30 November 2021

Funded under

• Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

Total cost

€ 2 519 562,50

EU contribution

€ 1 999 625,00

Coordinated by

BARCELONA SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER CENTRO NACIONAL DE SUPERCOMPUTACION
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MASTECS (Multicore Analysis Service and Tools for Embedded Critical Systems)

Reporting period: 2020-12-01 to 2021-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Embedded computers are ubiquitous in embedded domains like automotive and avionics to run advanced software that implements complex algorithms including artificial intelligence, increasingly used to control safety-critical functionality such as steering, driver assist, autonomous driving and in aerospace: flight management, mission control, and pilot displays.
Advanced software must react to stimuli from the environment within milliseconds, needing unprecedented performance requirements that can only be achieved using advanced heterogeneous multicore processors with affordable power, energy, and space profiles Software timing analysis is a must-have element in critical system testing to show that the performance of the hardware is sufficient for supporting the timely execution of critical functions and hence maintains the required levels of safety. Complex multicore processors have disruptive effects on timing analysis and certification, as novel methods and tools are needed to support the challenge of analyzing them.
In the lack of a consolidated multicore timing analysis (MTA) solution - one of the obstacles to the use of advanced software functions in critical domains – the MASTECS project brought together the expertise of two lead technology providers and representative stakeholders in the avionics and automotive domain to consolidate and boost the commercial exploitation of an innovative approach to MTA.
MASTECS MTA provides the first industry-ready, certification-oriented timing analysis solution capable of handling the complexity of multicores, combining together industrial quality software tools and professional services.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

MASTECS contributed to the consolidation and commercialization of a MTA solution, building on the combination of technological building blocks contributed by MASTECS technological partners Barcelona Supercomputing Center and Rapita Sytems Ltd. The effectiveness of the proposed MTA solution (including tools and analysis services) as well as its industrial readiness have been successfully evaluated by MASTECS’ industrial partners on top of representative use cases in the aerospace and automotive domains.

Technological progress. MASTESC successfully steered the combined effort of the technology providers in bringing the MTA solution to TRL8 by addressing and improving tool automation, to make it more amenable to industrial application, and specifically addressing domain-specific (DO-178C, CAST 32A, ISO26262) certification and qualification requirements. MASTECS overarching result consists in a comprehensive commercial offering of highly automated analysis tools and support services for the analysis and certification of multicore embedded systems in the time critical domains. Elements in the MASTECS technology are now integrate into a uniform tool chain that favors the adoption of the MTA solution and increases user acceptance. Each tool chain element underwent as rigorous assessment form the tool qualification standpoint and has been framed into a well-defined, domain-specific certification strategy.

Commercialization and exploitation. MASTECS has successfully developed all the elements necessary for industrial penetration and commercial take up. MASTECS developed clear product definitions for all elements in the MTA tool chain, created and maintained the necessary training material for sales teams and distributors, and built and consolidated the supply chain for delivering the MTA product and services, including the creation of a spinoff company out of BSC. In its 24 months, MASTECS has successfully productized its technology, bringing five commercial products to the market: two high-level products from Rapita, and three technology products from BSC that also form the basis of the supply chain for Rapita’s products. MASTECS also set up the supply chain and delivery team necessary to support future business opportunities with extraordinary results in terms of customer engagement, generating pilot studies and commercial orders.

Dissemination and communication. MASTECS invested a tremendous effort in dissemination activities as a fundamental enabler for promoting EU scientific outreach, public awareness, building a community around the project, and spreading the project results to attract potential future commercial customers so as to maximise the exploitation potential of the results. Dissemination activities and items include industrial and academic publications, industry-oriented tutorial, focussed events, website, social media campaign, and promotional video, among others.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

MATSECS goes beyond the existing state of the art and industrial practice by defining a fully-traceable MTA process with tool qualification support that can be successfully applied for the analysis and certification of complex multicore systems. By enabling the analysis and certification of embedded critical systems in the aerospace and automotive domain, MASTECS solution will favour the adoption of multicore systems in such critical domains, which is in turn the necessary precondition to deploy future autonomous rich functionalities.
The potential benefits for society from automating critical functionalities are huge and include:
• safer roads, skies, and airports, preventing 90% of collisions per year.
• dramatic reduction, up to 80%, of CO2 profile of different type of vehicles.
• improved quality of life by reducing the time people spend driving or waiting for flight delays, and
• making cars and commercial flights accessible to people that would be otherwise excluded for disability/economic reasons
From the industrial perspective, implementing such functionally-rich critical features is pivotal to increase product competitive edge. MASTECS MTA enables the analysis and certification of such multicore systems deploying such functionalities and hence offers a strategic solution for the competitiveness of EU avionics/automotive industries.
From a job creation perspective, MASTECS led to the creation of more than 20 highly skill professional positions already both within the technology providers and industrial partners premises to further develop the technology and to fulfil the growing commercial demand of pilot studies and other deployments of the product

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