An agile development method for platoon system based on verification and validation

Abstract

This paper introduces a verification and validation (V&V) process in a product life-cycle, where we consider a V&V process as the composition of the three tasks: formal verification, simulation and experimentation. The considered application is a platoon system, a set of autonomous vehicles that move together without any material connection. The platoon system development considers the specification of the SafePlatoon project1. Main goal of the V&V process is to put to the proof the platoon controller (Decision making unit). V&V is then a corner stone for critical functions that require zero default. Algorithm and hardware must respect some security concerns such as collision free between platoon vehicles, platoon integrity, obstacles avoidance, and etc. After a specification phase, where safety properties are defined, a classical or agile V&V cycle can be applied. In the case of SafePlatoon project, where different partners are evolving simultaneously on the models, an agile development method is used; where formal verification and benchmark simulation works together in order to improve model's safety. Formal verification is made using The SAL model checker. Validation by simulation is made using an internal tool called Vivus.