The Impact of Software Testing on Embedded Systems

In its recent issue the Chip Design Magazine points out that the huge growth of portable and wireless systems combined with the increasing relevance of software in embedded systems poses a challenge. Quality issues need special attention, especially in safety-critical systems. This is why software test tools for software systems will become increasingly important as the Chip Design Magazine concludes.

Vendors of embedded systems are facing an increased relevance of software for their products. Software is the main constituent in Smart Grid applications, automation control systems, and also in mobile devices such as Android phones, iPhones, or tablet devices. Even cars contain a large network of various network nodes driven by middleware technologies such as AutoSAR. If software has gained so much importance, then software architecture and software quality become critical factors. In its recent survey entitled “Global Embedded Software Market 2010-2014“ TechNavio points out this issue. Without availability of appropriate software test tools, the growth of embedded systems markets might be at risk. Especially, in safety-critical systems quality control is of high importance.

As Brian Hunt (COO of Parasoft) emphasizes in the article:

Somehow, your device is connected to something else. So (the developer) might need to know which devices it will connect to. He might need to know about the security of the device. There are a lot more concerns the developer has to worry about.