Suitability Analysis Methodology for Cloud-based Vehicle Functions

Future vehicular applications require sufficient computing and storage resources. Actual onboard resources are limited and not sufficient to deal with steadily increasing requirements. The term cloud computing has emerged as a new paradigm to overcome the computational and resource limitations in vehicles, whereby computing-intensive functions can be offloaded to a cloud. The so-called cloud-based vehicle functions (CB-VFs) run temporarily or permanently in the cloud and use cloud capability instead of onboard resources. However, this concept is facing several technical challenges, particularly due to the time-critical characteristics of vehicle applications. Thus, the suitability of functions for outsourcing must be ensured in an early stage of development.

In this thesis, a new methodology for suitability analysis of CB-VFs is developed. This method makes it possible to assess the feasibility of vehicle applications for outsourcing to a central cloud. Furthermore, the suitability of cloud and Electronic Control Units (ECUs) regarding the fulfillment of function requirements can be compared. The developed method supports function developers to ascertain the most appropriate environment for functions under development.