Control as a service (CaaS): Cloud-based software architecture for automotive control applications

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the interconnection of embedded devices and offers the possibility of exploiting cloud-based services to improve control functions. But how much cloud control is possible when facing real-time challenges in a safety-critical environment? This paper provides first insights and data into cloud-based control by means of a feasibility study in the automotive domain. We present the Control as a Service (CaaS) concept, which investigates cloud-based control scheme for a model car with WLAN / CAN gateway. CaaS delivers successfully an architectural design and a proof-of-concept implementation for a simple cloud-based throttle limitation scenario, in which the throttle values requested by driver (remote control user) is dynamically regulated by a controller implemented as a virtual ECU (Electronic Control Unit) in the cloud. We found that the correct handling of time-varying network delay is one of the most relevant challenges. Therefore we started a simulation study in parallel to design controllers that are capable of coping with network imperfections. Preliminary simulation results indicate the potential of model predictive control.