What is the need of Virtual Validation

Virtual Validation is process of creating Virtual ECU’s and validating these vECUs . What is the need to adapt Virtual Validation when it comes to software defined vehicles which is the next big thing in automotive industry

1. Shrinking Development Cycle
   • Traditional Challenge: Hardware availability comes late in the development cycle, delaying testing.
   • Virtual Validation Benefit: Engineers can start testing months earlier on Virtual ECUs especially Virtual SIL Testing long before the real hardware is available.
   • Result: Early on in the testing cycle we can find defects and when it comes to HIL Testing, most of the defects will be already rectified
2. Cost Reduction
   • Hil test benches, prototypes, physical test setups are expensive
   • Virtual validation replaces much of this with simulation-based environments. For example, running 1000 virtual scenarios in VEOS Platform costs a fraction of a single vehicle prototype test
3. Scenario Coverage
   • Real world validation is limited by time, safety and logistics
   • Virtual validation enables thousands of scenarios to be covered
   • We can do continuous regression testing with automated CI/CV Pipelines
   • Result: Broader test coverage and higher software robustness
4. Shift Left Testing Philosophy
   • Moving validation earlier in the life cycle
   • Since defects are found out early in the life cycle, it is lower cost of defect correction
5. Integration with Continuous Development
   • Increase the speed of test execution by integrating with CI/CV so that quality time can be spent on finding defects early on testing lifecycle
6. Support for Digital Twins and AI-Driven development

References

1. Synopsys. (2022). Virtual ECUs: Enabling Early Software Bring-Up and Continuous Integration in Automotive Development. Synopsys White Paper.
2. dSPACE GmbH. (2021). Function Validation with Virtual ECUs – Use Case. VEOS Virtual Validation Platform.
3. Canonical Ltd. (2024, May 28). Virtual ECUs — The Future of Automotive Development and Testing. Canonical Blog.
4. Express Computer India. (2023, November 17). Unlocking the Potential of Virtual ECU Validation: Revolutionizing Software Testing in Automotive Development.
5. Qiao, J., & Chen, Y. (2024). The Influence and Application of Digital Twin Technology in Automotive Automation. ResearchGate.
6. In-tech GmbH. (2023). Virtual Validation – Concept in the Loop. in-tech Insights
7. Zhou, S., & Keller, M. (2025). Challenges of Virtual Validation and Verification for Automotive Functions. arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.14747.
8. Synopsys. (2024, January 10). Shift-Left SDV Development with Virtual ECU Validation. Synopsys Chip Design Blog.
9. dSPACE GmbH. (2022). Virtual Validation Redefined: Standardizing vECU Exchange with FMI. Engineers Insight Article.