First-Class Variability Modeling in Matlab/Simulink
This addresses the problem of managing variability in software-intensive car development for automotive engineers, but it is incremental as it builds on existing delta modeling concepts.
The paper tackles the complexity and scalability issues of modeling car variants in Matlab/Simulink, where current methods lead to overly complex 150%-models, by proposing a modular variability modeling approach based on delta modeling, resulting in a prototypical implementation integrated into Matlab/Simulink with graphical editing capabilities.
Modern cars exist in an vast number of variants. Thus, variability has to be dealt with in all phases of the development process, in particular during model-based development of software-intensive functionality using Matlab/Simulink. Currently, variability is often encoded within a functional model leading to so called 150%-models which easily become very complex and do not scale for larger product lines. To counter these problems, we propose a modular variability modeling approach for Matlab/Simulink based on the concept of delta modeling [8, 9, 24]. A functional variant is described by a delta encapsulating a set of modifications. A sequence of deltas can be applied to a core product to derive the desired variant. We present a prototypical implementation, which is integrated into Matlab/Simulink and offers graphical editing of delta models.