In this paper a model-based design approach currently developed is introduced to optimize the development process of automotive software. The approach plays special emphasis on a quality-oriented construction of embedded software to shorten the development life cycle and the development costs at the same time. "Quality-oriented" in this context means, that design and implementation decisions may be better traced back to the actual user requirements which are essential for the validation of the system. In contrast to low-level modeling approaches (such as Matlab/Simulink [1] or ASCET-SD [2], which mainly focus on technical aspects of the system), high-level modeling concepts are introduced to represent HW-/SW-architectures within a set of consecutive abstraction levels. A newly reworked system of automotive-specific abstraction levels is presented, where architectures are specified introducing more detail on each level. The system of abstraction levels supports the inheritance of model information from abstract levels down to concrete levels and the refinement of this information at each level. Thus the gap between (informal) requirements and the implementation is reduced. Since the higher levels abstract from technical details, reuse of models will be possible in a very easy way. The abstraction levels will form the basis for the strongly formal definition of an automotive specific architecture description language which we call "CAR-DL" (Combined Architecture Description Language). The presented approach is currently developed within the project "mobilSoft" 1. no details of HWenvironment distribution not considered lack of totality characteristic system serdistributable units technical environment concretization/completeness total functional specification abstraction

This article focuses on model based development of electronic control units (ECUs) in the automotive domain. The use of model-based approaches solves requirements for the fast-growing integration of formerly isolated logical functions in complex distributed networks of heavily interacting ECUs. One fundamental property of such an approach is the existence of an adequate modeling notation tailored to the specific needs of the application domain together with a precise definition of its syntax and its semantics. However, although these constituents are necessary, they are not sufficient for guaranteeing an efficient development process of ECU networks. In addition, methodical support which guides the application of the modeling notation must be an integral part of a model-based approach. Therefore we aim at developing a so-called 'system model' which comprises all of these constituents: the modeling language AML its mapping to the Unified Modeling Language (UML) which represents the modeling language standard for object-oriented system development as well as a system of abstraction levels which will help the AML user to achieve a well-structured development process. Within this methodical framework we outline the use of the AML in this article by illustrating a case study which comprises parts of the body car electronics within a car. Used modeling concepts are discussed in detail by showing its correlation to the UML representation and its counterpart in the metamodel. Long term goal of the project Automotive is to establish the AML as a de facto standard for the specification of embedded systems. The accompanying realisation of an integrated tool chain, comprising the tools Telelogic UML Suite /28/, ETAS ASCET-SD /27/ and Telelogic DOORS /28/ as well as the validation of the methodology by the different project partners facilitate this goal.

The service-oriented paradigm is a promising approach to handle the growing complexity of software systems. This paper introduces a methodology for a stepwise refinement of service specifications on different levels of abstraction. Moreover, it deals with the integration of service-and architecture-specifications. Underlying concepts for a formal service specification are motivated from a methodological point of view and precisly given in this paper. Furthermore the application of these concepts is demonstrated within a caseexample.The presented methodology stems from the RoFaSoft 1 project, where both aforementioned development paradigms are consolidated and integrated.

Within the automotive industry model-based specification techniques are the basis for the definition of seamless design processes allowing the complete, the consistent, and the unambiguous specification of software and hardware parts of car specific networks of control units. For a successful application, those modeling approaches have to give methodical support for adequately capturing the architecture in the targeted system class. In our opinion most standard modeling languages leave room for improvement exactly at this point. Therefore we develop a modeling language characterized by the following features: (1) architecture centric modeling, (2) domain-specificity, and (3) close relation to standard modeling languages. Within this article we introduce the Automotive Modeling Language (AML) by illustrating a case study which comprises parts of the body car electronics within a car. Architecture related modeling concepts are discussed in detail by showing the correlation between their UML representation and their ASCET-SD representation.