STEP-UP!CPS

Modern, safety-critical cyber-physical systems (CPS) such as those used in the automotive industry, shipping or industrial production must be regularly updated even after they have been commissioned. Security, compatibility and traceability place particularly high demands on the update process. A key challenge is to carry out updates efficiently and reliably without requiring costly and time-consuming re-evaluations of the entire system.

Objectives and Approaches

The Step-Up!CPS project is developing a comprehensive concept that maps the complete update cycle of safety-critical CPS. This includes model-based function development and compatibility checks at the manufacturer. Furthermore, the secure import of updates, the checking of safety-relevant properties and runtime monitoring are integrated. The latter enables relevant information to be fed back to the manufacturer in the event of an error.

All necessary services are embedded in a domain-independent middleware. The solutions developed are being tested as prototypes in various application areas - automotive, shipping and industry.

In the maritime application case, an example of how a highly automated assistance system for navigation in busy sea areas can be specifically updated after commissioning, for example to rectify errors, is being investigated. The aim is to carry out these updates without having to perform a complete type test of the bridge system or even the entire ship again.