Improving Dependability of Embedded Software Systems using Fault Bypass Modeling (FBM)

Fault injection techniques are important and widely used for verifying the dependability of computer systems. Traditionally fault injection has been successfully applied for evaluating dependability of hardware electronics and is now increasingly been used for software systems. At the same time increasing complexity of embedded software systems such as in automotive sector has driven these domains to use Model Based Development and using virtual simulation to build and test models before actual code is generation from these models. In this paper we conclude that fault injection techniques can be effectively used for assessing and thus increasing the dependability of embedded software systems and analyze a problem that is faced when using fault injection within a virtual simulation of these systems. We also discuss a framework referred to as Fault Bypass Modeling (FBM) as one possible solution to the described problem with the help of autonomous vehicle simulation case study.