End-to-end tester to enable next-gen V2X apps

Rohde & Schwarz, Vector and Commsignia are set to demonstrate a V2X end-to-end tester, an onboard unit in a simulated vehicle environment that receives 802.11p-based messages under real-world conditions and displays them on a car screen. According to the companies, this will allow future intelligent transport systems (ITS) to be implemented using standards such as IEEE 802.11p WLAN, enabling vehicles and infrastructures to share information in order to warn drivers of hazards such as accidents, construction zones and slippery roads.

The V2X end-to-end tester for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) applications is based on the fully automated R&S TS-ITS100 RF conformance test system from Rohde & Schwarz. The RF conformance test system is augmented by the Vector CANoe application and communications test system, which monitors radio communications and internal vehicle buses and even simulates some of them. The Commsignia ITS-OB2-M onboard unit for 802.11p serves as the DUT.

The overall system is the first to enable automotive manufacturers and their suppliers to verify the functionality and performance of V2V applications with an end-to-end test, from transmitting RF signals over a simulated channel to receiving the RF signal via an onboard unit and subsequent presentation on an in vehicle display.

During the demonstration, an 802.11p message "Warning, vehicle braking" is transmitted via an RF signal. The R&S TS-ITS100 generates an 802.11p RF signal with the required content and transmits it to the Commsignia onboard unit. The Rohde & Schwarz system uses fading to impair the signal and simulate real-world propagation conditions. The ITS-OB2-M receives the RF signal, converts the message to CAN bus format and feeds it to the vehicle bus monitored by the CANoe system. CANoe verifies whether the RF signal was correctly transmitted from the onboard unit to the CAN bus despite fading. The message is then forwarded to an in vehicle display simulated by the CANoe system.