Interview with Stefan Walter, dSPACE
“We focus on enabling modular and scalable continuous integration”
A graduate of the University of Applied Sciences Münster: Stefan Walter.
Stefan Walter
Continuous integration, SIL/HIL continuity, and cloud-native testing are key to mastering SDV development. Stefan Walter from dSPACE explains how these elements enable faster, more reliable automotive validation.
With more than two decades of experience at dSPACE, Stefan
Walter has been deeply involved in advancing simulation, validation, and
platform integration for complex automotive systems. He has helped shape the
evolution from model-based development to large-scale, automated testing
frameworks.
As Lead Portfolio Manager SDV,
Walter drives the strategic development of scalable validation solutions for
software-defined vehicles — ensuring that simulation and hardware-in-the-loop
(HIL) environments stay synchronized throughout the development process.
At the Automotive Computing
Conference 2025, he will focus on continuous integration, orchestration,
and scalable test automation. In the run-up to the event, we asked him how
consistent SIL/HIL continuity and modular CI/CT pipelines can accelerate SDV
development and reduce risk.
ADT: Validation complexity is one of the main pain
points in SDV development. From your perspective, what are the biggest
obstacles in achieving consistent SIL/HIL continuity across the entire
development process?
Walter: One of the biggest challenges in achieving
consistent SIL and HIL continuity is the fragmentation of toolchains and
simulation artifacts across development stages. Simulation environments are
often tailored to specific domains or teams, which leads to integration gaps.
In addition, the lack of standardized interfaces and orchestration mechanisms
makes it difficult to reuse test artifacts across SIL and HIL environments.
At the ACC 2025, you will
discuss how continuous integration and testing can accelerate SDV validation.
How does dSPACE approach the integration of SIL and HIL into CI and CT
pipelines to reduce iteration time and risk?
At dSPACE, we focus on enabling modular and scalable
continuous integration and continuous testing pipelines that integrate both SIL
and HIL environments. Our approach leverages containerized simulation models, a
unified simulation system preparation across SIL and HIL, and orchestrated test
execution in the cloud. This allows automated regression testing and early
fault detection. By embedding HIL systems into CI workflows via remote access
and standardized APIs, we reduce iteration time and ensure that hardware-based
validation is no longer a bottleneck.
As a long-standing enabler of model-based development and
system validation, the company now faces a new level of scale and connectivity.
How are your solutions evolving to support cloud-based, highly automated
validation for next-generation vehicle architectures?
To support next-generation vehicle architectures, dSPACE is
evolving its solutions toward cloud-native validation platforms. This includes
scalable test farm management, automated resource provisioning, and intelligent
scheduling of test jobs across global locations.
