Generating on‐board diagnostics of dynamic automotive systems based on qualitative models[1]This work was partially supported by the European Commission,DG XII (project BE 95/2128,‘VMBD’). VMBD (Vehicle Model‐Based Diagnosis) is a Brite‐Euram project involving the following partners: Daimler Benz,Centro Ricerche Fiat,Volvo,Bosch,Magneti Marelli,Genrad,Dassault Electronique,Università di Torino,Université Paris XIII (Paris Nord),University of Wales at Aberystwyth.

Abstract

On‐board diagnostic systems play an important role in the current generation of cars and will play an increasingly important role in the next future. The design of on‐board diagnostic systems is a challenging problem under several points of view. In this paper we discuss the experience we made on such a problem within the VMBD project. In particular, we discuss an approach which tries to reconcile two goals: satisfying all the requirements and constraints imposed by the on‐board application, and exploiting the advantages of the model‐based approach as much as possible. The approach is based on qualitative deviation models for the automatic derivation of on‐board diagnostics based on decision trees. In the paper we use a specific application, the Common Rail fuel delivery system, as a concrete example, briefly discussing the on‐board diagnostics we designed for such a system and its prototype implementation and demonstration.