Christoph Hinrichs

Clear MBSE strategy and thorough testing of the tools

Webasto did not want to leave anything to chance when entering MBSE. Therefore, a clearly structured modelling process was defined (MBSE Meta-Model), the language to be used was defined (SysML) and the appropriate tool was selected in a very elaborate back-to-back comparison. “We were not satisfied with our previous solution and in a very open and selective tool comparison, Enterprise Architect clearly convinced us with the best cost-benefit ratio,” Hinrichs describes. The continuous responsiveness of the LieberLieber team with regard to open questions also left a very positive impression: “Since we always want to have the latest tools in use, we quickly switched to Enterprise Architect 16. LieberLieber supported us very well in this and also updated LemonTree promptly so that we could continue to use the whole tool chain.” In the end, LieberLieber’s recommendations regarding the tool chain were adopted, but Git was replaced by IBM RTC.

Dr Konrad Wieland, Managing Director of LieberLieber, comments: “We are very pleased that Webasto has chosen the path towards MBSE together with us. Christoph Hinrichs is approaching this major task in a very clearly structured way and gave us interesting insights into his pioneering work at the MBSE Summit 2022. We are united by the common goal of communicating the benefits and advantages of MBSE in a comprehensible and practice-oriented way and thus successfully convincing people. In this way, we are creating a good and robust basis for the continued economic success of the outstanding family-owned company Webasto!”

Communicating the benefits of MBSE throughout the company

For Hinrichs, it is clear that the greatest benefit of MBSE only comes when the process has been rolled out throughout the company and is working. This is confirmed by scientific studies and practical experience alike. “As usual, we first launched pilot projects to show what is possible with MBSE and what benefits arise from it. The experience gained is then processed – as in the Business Unit Batteries Department – and shared with the business units. Now we have to scale these experiences and anchor them in the business sections. For this, however, we still have to do a lot of convincing with the support of LieberLieber,” explains Hinrichs.

The most important advantages of MBSE were defined as:

• Transparency – recognition of dependencies, Defined starting point for cooperation.
• Traceability
• Visualisation – common language and the appropriate tool for each case
• Reusability and automation – Multiple use of artefacts and models; Automated consistency check of models
• Quality – Higher product maturity through semi-automated validation; Fewer errors
• Processes – Standardised processes facilitate collaboration; Certifications more quickly attainable

“The faster we integrate these points in the company, the more benefits we can derive from MBSE,” Hinrichs knows. However, it is important not to take any hasty steps, but to first check exactly what the current situation is in a department. Based on this, MBSE can be introduced in a well-controlled process without losing the necessary participation of all those involved by overtaxing them.

MBSE maturity level of a department is assessed in advance

In order to make the introduction of MBSE in other departments as smooth as possible, Hinrichs is developing an ever more detailed maturity model. Currently, there are very few publications and contributions that attempt to support the introduction of MBSE in a systematic and structured way, such as the work of Andreas Vogelsang. “There are studies on the collection of MBSE maturity levels, but no one talks about what effort it takes to reach a level or what benefits can be achieved with a level. In the practical test, for example, we found that the levels have to be as small and solution-oriented as possible so as not to trigger excessive demands, otherwise we would lose interest in MBSE or even meet with resistance. If we want to change something in the processes, methods or tools, we need a team that sticks together and pursues a common goal,” Hinrichs explains.

Key user as communicator for MBSE

As a central point of contact, a “key user” should be found in each department who is available as a multiplier and communicator for MBSE. The fundamental basis for scaling MBSE is the tool setup adapted to the needs as well as the configuration management. Hinrichs supports and disseminates MBSE within the company through internal training. This should help generate enthusiasm for the MBSE initiative at Webasto, establish initial contact and build up a network. If detailed expert knowledge is then required, or if the key user team encounters challenges in the tool, LieberLieber is available for this at any time. “Currently, three pilot projects are running in parallel, one of which is also already at a next higher level in the maturity model. So we are working intensively on establishing and scaling MBSE in the company. There is still a lot of work ahead of us and it is reassuring to know that we can always call in the experts from LieberLieber to solve difficult questions together if necessary,” explains Hinrichs.

At the Prostep ivip Symposium 2022, Florian Beer (Bosch, Engineering Driving Systems) and Daniel Siegl presented their joint project to realise DevOps for MBSE at Bosch Driving Systems. In the presentation, they showed how such a DevOps solution for models can be implemented. A continuous integration process was presented that uses modelling tools such as Enterprise Architect and LemonTree together with Git for versioning and deploying models.

Daniel Siegl
Business Developer at LieberLieber

New vehicle architecture requires rethinking

In order to meet the new requirements, Bosch Driving Systems not only wants to drive forward the technology development in its products, but also design the internal development processes and tools accordingly. The traditional vehicle architecture, in which every sensor and actuator is a fully-fledged control unit with individual logic and corresponding development depth, is today increasingly giving way to new centralised architectures in which the program logic is concentrated in a few central ECUs with corresponding computing power. Several major trends are currently seen in the automotive market that will turn the old, hardware-driven development work upside down. DevOps is a trend that has long been established in classic software areas such as online systems, smartphone apps and desktop applications, but is also already being applied in the automotive sector at Tesla. Due to new cybersecurity requirements and data-driven development approaches, this approach will be necessary on a broad basis in the future. In order to be able to quickly implement the new requirements, many new development cooperations can currently be seen on the market, especially in the area of automated driving. The reason for this is that the effort for development, data collection and validation of the functions is so great that it cannot be managed quickly enough by a single market participant alone.

Florian Beer (Bosch) and Daniel Siegl during their presentation at the Prostep ivip Symposium 2022

Model-based systems engineering is now used in many areas of the VW Group. In a joint webinar, Daniel Siegl (LieberLieber) and Hermann Gollwitzer (VW) explained the background to this and the role LieberLieber plays in implementing this fundamental change in development

Based in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Volkswagen Group (VW) is the world’s second-largest automobile manufacturer and Europe’s leading manufacturing company overall. The cooperation with LieberLieber began about two years ago, as VW relies on Enterprise Architect for software and system development for infotainment systems. In the course of increasing digitalisation in all brands, areas and functions of VW, the company is now ready to use model-based systems engineering (MBSE) in many areas.

Hermann Gollwitzer, who works at VW in the EEMF/3 sub-department as a system architect for infotainment systems:

Safe handling of model versions and variants is crucial

As Gollwitzer went on to explain, on the road to becoming an agile company it is necessary to reconcile such complex things as the company roadmap, the business model and cars with different features. In IT architecture in particular, one must always stay on the target path in order not to slip into an architectural erosion. This would result in a disproportionately high effort for continuous readjustment.
Since many versions and variants of models are inevitably created in such an agile and complex environment, it was crucial for the commitment to MBSE to be able to handle them easily and safely.

“The control of all versions and variants of the models created in the development process was the most important requirement for the stable anchoring of MBSE in the company. LieberLieber supported us very well in this with their profound practical knowledge as well as with tools such as Enterprise Architect and LemonTree, thus promoting internal persuasion,” explains Gollwitzer.

Always keep the overview with MBSE

However, it still remains a great challenge to keep track of the different variants on the way to the “individual vehicle”. For this reason, efforts must continue to be made in the future to develop a broadly accepted understanding of MBSE in order to deepen the path taken. “In our move towards MBSE, we were not looking for the best implementation tool, but for an easily understandable approach that would benefit all those involved. We have now succeeded in doing this and we can build on this foundation and face the profound changes in our industry,” says Gollwitzer.

New approaches for MBSE in the future

In the concluding question and answer session of the webinar, Daniel Siegl gave a brief outlook on current developments in the MBSE sector. Thus, the current requirements of the industry showed the desire for continuous integration. This refers to the permanent merging of components into one application in order to improve the software quality. At the same time the interest in the NuGet approach in the field of modelling is growing. This refers to a system for distributing software components in packages. Closely related to this is not least the DevOps method, which above all increases the speed of development and improves teamwork.

“LieberLieber is of course also concerned with these new approaches and methods in daily practice. Our product LemonTree in particular already takes up many of the approaches contained in it, which makes it even easier for us to put them into practice. We are therefore already well prepared for the next steps and look forward to further cooperation with VW on the way to an extensive digitalisation!”

About VW

The VW Group comprises twelve brands from seven European countries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. The Volkswagen Group also offers a broad spectrum of financial services. These include dealer and customer financing, leasing, banking and insurance business and fleet management.

With its program “TOGETHER – Strategy 2025”, the Volkswagen Group has cleared the way for the biggest change process in its history: the realignment of one of the best automotive companies into one of the world’s leading providers of sustainable mobility. To this end, the Group will transform its automotive core business, including the introduction of more than 30 additional all-electric models by 2025 along with the expansion of battery technology and autonomous driving as new core competencies.

Articles about MBSE

In the course of the restructuring of the Peter Lieber group of companies, LieberLieber Software also made some changes in order to be able to serve its customers even more effectively and efficiently. The management is now in the hands of Dr. Konrad Wieland, who has been familiar with the company in various functions for a long time.

The IT and software industry is known for its fast pace and the associated change of products, services and company structures. It is therefore not surprising that companies are also constantly changing their organization in order to adapt even better to the new market conditions. In the course of the restructuring of the Peter Lieber Group of Companies, LieberLieber Software therefore also made some changes in order to be able to serve its customers even more effectively and efficiently. Dr. Konrad Wieland, the new CEO of LieberLieber, comments:

The company’s previous management team has been entrusted with new tasks: Martin Muhr is now responsible for the finances of the entire group, while Daniel Siegl has been entrusted with business development and special support for the two target markets USA and Canada. He will also remain CEO of LieberLieber’s US subsidiary. CTO Roman Bretz has left the company.

Exploiting synergies within the Group

One of the main reasons that led to the decision in favour of a holding structure was the desire to make even better use of synergies within the Group. Peter Lieber, owner of the Peter Lieber Group of Companies:

Daniel Siegl
Business Developer of LieberLieber Software, CEO of the US subsidiary

Hirschman Car Communication employs 140 engineers in the areas of industrial engineering, development and design, and measurement and test engineering. Dennis Drews is a software engineer at Hirschmann: “A colleague recommended LieberLieber Embedded Engineer to us, which we thoroughly tested and then presented internally. Today I would say that if you’re using Enterprise Architect, you should also be using LieberLieber products. Embedded Engineer has proved to be a high-quality tool and has faultlessly generated running software from the model.” Developers used LieberLieber’s help website and email support. “We quickly developed the two state machines in C and optimized the model in such detail that we did not have to dive into the automatically-generated code! This is an ideal condition for us, which we were able to achieve thanks to LieberLieber’s excellent tool,” Drews concludes.

“We are very proud to have Hirschmann Car Communication, one of the leading providers in the automotive supplier industry, among our customers. The fact that our Embedded Engineer tool was able to meet the high quality requirements in this project reinforces us in our own drive to meet such high levels of quality. In order to create innovative products one also needs excellent tools, which we are constantly working to improve,” explains Daniel Siegl, CEO at LieberLieber.

Disruptive technology ensures competitive edge
The remote tuner modules are a disruptive technology for Hirschmann Car Communication: They move the receiver technology closer to the antenna from the head unit, thus making an additional amplifier unnecessary. The digital transmission is then no longer via several, expensive co-axial cables, but via a single, cost-effective cable. “As a leading manufacturer, we want to introduce such disruptive technologies as quickly as possible, even if they change the current way of doing business. In our field, technical advancement gives us a key competitive edge that distinguishes us from our competitors. We must always be ready to enter new territory,” explains Thomas Adam, Head of Technology & Innovation.

In order to be able to hold this decisive market advantage, developers are of course glad to support development of the best tools available on the market. At the beginning of the project, when software code requirements were higher than what could directly be achieved with Enterprise Architect, Drews was pleased to learn of LieberLieber Embedded Engineer: “If we want to keep our lead, then we also have to continuously optimize our tools. In addition, our high quality requirements dictate that we must know our tools very well, and also exploit the possibilities within them. It is our desire to live quality in all areas and Embedded Engineer provides excellent support for us in this domain.” The positive experiences from the preliminary design phase have now been passed on to serial production, where the next steps for the production of the remote tuner modules will now be initiated.