eBook: Broad-Spectrum Testing of Electronic Control Units (ECUS)

In a joint partnership with Rolls-Royce, Palitronica performed a comprehensive test and validation of the capabilities of the Anvil Checkpoint; a benchtop testing system that can verify that your electronics are free of defects, oversight, and fraud. 

For the evaluation, Palitronica followed the following protocol: 

• Fully-blackbox, broad-spectrum testing: The target was tested without any information from the supplier. No Gerber file, no schematics, not even connector information.

• Complex, multi-layered target: The target was a complex, multi-layered Electronic Control Unit (ECU) used in a safety-critical applications typically rated at Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) B or C. 

• Common defects and malicious modifications: The targets were altered to contain defects commonly encountered during manufacturing, and some also contained malicious modifications reported in national safety and security databases. 

Four key findings for electronics testing: 

• Anvil is effective on complex targets: The system performed remarkably well in detecting hardware modifications, even with complex, multi-layer ECUs. 

  
  

• 100% detection rate: Anvil accurately detected all modifications and defects introduced into the system, ensuring thorough testing. 

  
  

• Standard connector works – Bed-of-nails is now optional: The Standard Connector setup yielded excellent results, proving to be an efficient and cost-effective solution.

  
  

• Bed-of-nails enables unprecedented broad-spectrum test coverage: In cases where the Standard Connector isn’t feasible, the Bed-of-Nails (BoN) setup provided superior accuracy.