SYSTEM LEVEL VALIDATION STRATEGIES ON SOFTWARE DEFINED ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of Software-Defined Electric Vehicles (SDEVs) necessitates comprehensive system-level validation strategies that go beyond traditional hardware-in-the-loop testing. Unlike conventional vehicles, SDEVs tightly couple software control algorithms—spanning battery management systems (BMS), powertrain controllers, regenerative braking, and over-the-air (OTA) update mechanisms—with high-voltage electrical architectures. This paper proposes and evaluates an integrated, multi-tool validation framework employing CATIA for three-dimensional structural design, MATLAB/Simulink for motor dynamics and battery state modeling, and IPG CarMaker for full-vehicle virtual track simulation. Drawing on an empirical case study of a race-oriented EV prototype, we demonstrate how system-level validation must transcend isolated component testing to encompass cross-domain interactions, software-hardware co-validation, functional safety (ISO 26262), and cybersecurity hardening. We introduce a layered V-model adapted for SDEV architectures, define key validation metrics including State-of-Charge (SOC), State-of-Health (SOH), speed-torque envelope accuracy, and lap-time fidelity, and discuss results from simulation-based stress testing under varied track and environmental conditions. Our findings indicate that integrated simulation-based validation reduces physical prototype dependency by up to 60%, accelerates development cycles, and exposes safety-critical failure modes that unit-level tests miss. The paper concludes with a roadmap for extending the framework toward AI-assisted calibration and real-time digital twin synchronization.