Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2024 - 2

TECHNICAL
INNOVATIONS
SMART DIAGNOSTICS
The role of a cloud-based server in service workshops
SAE INTERNATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carla Bailo
President
Robert Ireland
2025 President
Todd Zarfos
2023 President
Christopher Payne
Vice President - Aerospace
Daniel Nicholson
Vice President - Automotive
Audley Brown
Vice President -
Commercial Vehicle
Figure 1: Typical setup of a workshop tester.
Usage of cloud technology is essential for aftersales
tester providers. It eases the rollout of new
tester content - for example, diagnostic data of
new vehicle types, updated repair manuals or
ECU software for flash programming. Cloud
technology also implements security services
such as user authentication information.
Figure 1 shows a typical setup as it is implemented
for the service of vehicles such as
trucks and buses. The vehicle is parked (vehicle
speed = zero) in the service workshop, and its
E/E system is connected to the vehicle communication
interface (VCI) via CAN or Ethernet.
On the tester (TST) side, the TST-to-VCI connection
is either USB or WiFi.
The TST is connected to a cloud-based server
using the workshop's WiFi infrastructure.
The router that connects the workshop's WiFi
with the internet and thus the cloud server is
not shown.
For the purpose of diagnostics, the TST
sends diagnostic service requests to the vehicle,
which answers with positive or negative
diagnostic service responses - and action if
required. ISO 14229 (Unified Diagnostic
Services, UDS) contains the specification of 26
diagnostic services that can be parameterized
by data identifier (DID) or sub-function bytes.
Examples for such diagnostic service requests
include " Read Data By Identifier " with the data
identifier for the vehicle identification number
(VIN), Diagnostic Session Control Request with
the sub-function byte 0x04 for the Safety
System Diagnostic Session or the set of services
to reprogram an ECU, namely the flash job.
2 August 2024
Cloud infrastructure
To enable this procedure, a wide variety of information
(Figure 2) must be made available in the
cloud. There are two user groups that access
information: at the OEM, the employees who
create and roll out the tester, and the workshops
that use the tester and report back test results.
Access options and available licenses are
managed in User Management so that only permitted
actions are executed. The " Tester " area is
used to precisely control the rollout of the tester
software, but also independently of repair documents
and diagnostic tasks. " Vehicle " is used to
control which software is programmed into control
units for specific vehicles, while diagnostic
reports also can be used to generate a vehicle
history. There are also support options via remote
access and a ticket system.
Such a data platform is a centralized system
that processes (collects, stores and analyzes)
data from multiple sources (Figure 3). This also
means that once information has been created,
it does not have to be entered again.
It provides a secure and scalable infrastructure
for managing large volumes of data and
allows organizations to gain insights and
make informed decisions based on that data.
A well-designed data platform can help to
improve operational efficiency, reduce costs
and drive innovation.
The server comes with an SQL database
where all relevant data is being stored centrally
as a " single point of truth. " Once the
system has been set up, no other sources are
required by its users.
David Andrea
Treasurer
Gregory L. Bradley, Esq.
Secretary
Judy Curran
Mary Lee Gambone
Joan Wills
Susan Ying, Ph.D
SAE International Sections
SAE International Sections are local
units comprised of 100 or more SAE
International Members in a defined
technical or geographic area. The purpose
of local Sections is to meet the technical,
developmental, and personal needs of the
SAE Members in a given area. For more
information, please visit sae.org/sections
or contact SAE Member Relations Specialist
Abby Hartman at abby.hartman@sae.org.
SAE International
Collegiate Chapters
Collegiate Chapters are a way for SAE
International Student Members to get
together on their campus and develop
skills in a student-run and -elected
environment. Student Members are vital
to the continued success and future of
SAE. While your course work teaches
you the engineering knowledge you
need, participation in your SAE Collegiate
Chapter can develop or enhance other
important skills, including leadership,
time management, project management,
communications, organization, planning,
delegation, budgeting, and finance. For
more information, please visit students.
sae.org/chapters/collegiate/ or contact
SAE Member Relations Specialist Abby
Hartman at abby.hartman@sae.org.
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
SOFTING
http://www.sae.org/sections http://www.sae.org/chapters/collegiate/
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2024

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