Standard software for in-vehicle flash reprogramming

These days more and more electronic control units (ECUs) make use of reprogrammable microcontrollers. Thus the ECU software becomes a separate product that can be handled independently of the ECU hardware. This requires new processes at both the car manufacturer and the ECU supplier. Those processes are similar for all car manufacturers, therefore a common solution should be used. Within the working group "flashable software" of the manufacturers software initiative (Hersteller-Initiave Software, HIS) the necessary standards are being defined to minimize the amount of work for all project participants. A first step is the specification of a hardware-related programming interface for the low level flash erase and programming routines. This routines comprise the so called flash driver which shall be provided to the ECU supplier by the microcontroller vendor. The specification for this flash driver is provided as an open standard. Currently work is being done to standardize the flash reprogramming process and security related aspects. This allows to standardize the specification for the flash reprogramming runtime environment - the so called flashloader - and a separate security module. Those modules can be used by the ECU supplier for all projects with car manufacturers that adhere to the HIS standards.