SIL Testing

Software-in-the-Loop validation

Validate HMI software in virtual environments before hardware is available. Shift left without sacrificing coverage. The same test suite runs on SIL today and HIL tomorrow.

Virtual ECU · QEMU · Docker · VMs · Desktop simulation · CI/CD

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Test topology · SIL TestingLive

vECU

Virtual HW

Desktop sim

Qt / SDL

Container

Docker/QEMU

CI/CD

Pipeline

AskUIValidating

Shift left

Validated

SIL→HIL

Reusable

Audit

Evidence

Case study →

Code on dark screen, software-in-the-loop virtual environment

Shift leftvalidation

Validate HMI behavior before hardware exists. Find issues months earlier.

1test suite

Same suite runs at SIL and HIL, zero rework when moving to real hardware

CI/CDintegrated

Run SIL validation on every commit. Catch HMI regressions in minutes, not weeks.

Autoevidence

Structured test reports identical at SIL and HIL stages for traceability

Software-in-the-Loop testing lets teams validate embedded HMI software before physical hardware exists. But SIL environments render the same UI in virtual machines, containers, or desktop simulations, and those environments still need automated validation. Teams either skip HMI validation at the SIL stage (and find issues late on the rig) or write throwaway scripts that don't transfer to HIL. AskUI solves this by using vision-based agents that work identically on a virtual display and a physical one. Write requirements once. Validate at SIL. Revalidate at HIL. Same suite, same evidence format, zero rework.

The challenge

Why existing tools fall short

No HMI validation at SIL stage

SIL environments run the embedded software in virtual machines or containers. The HMI renders, but nobody validates it systematically. Issues are discovered weeks later on the HIL rig, when fixes are expensive.

Throwaway SIL scripts

Teams write quick-and-dirty validation scripts for SIL that rely on desktop automation tools. These scripts don't transfer to HIL because the interaction method changes. Double the effort, half the coverage.

Virtual environment fragility

SIL environments use different renderers, window managers, and display configurations than the target hardware. Traditional automation tools break across these differences.

Traceability gap between stages

SIL and HIL test results use different formats, different tools, and different evidence structures. Auditors cannot trace a requirement from SIL validation through HIL confirmation.

What AskUI delivers

One suite. Full coverage.

Virtual HMI validation

Validate HMI rendering in virtual environments with the same agents that run on real hardware.

—Vision-based agents work on virtual displays identically to physical ones
—QEMU, Docker, VM, or desktop simulation, all supported
—Validate rendered output, not internal state. Catch visual regressions.
—No dependency on specific SIL environment tooling

SIL-to-HIL test reuse

Write test cases once. Run at SIL stage. Rerun at HIL stage. Zero rework.

—Identical test suite at both validation stages
—Same evidence format for SIL and HIL results
—Requirements traceability across stages
—Delta reports: what changed between SIL and HIL results

CI/CD pipeline integration

Run SIL HMI validation on every commit. Catch regressions in minutes, not sprint cycles.

—Trigger SIL validation from GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins
—Containerized SIL environments with automated test execution
—Pass/fail gates before merge. Block regressions early.
—Nightly full-suite regression with trend analysis

Compliance & evidence

Evidence generated automatically

ISO 26262 SIL evidence

Structured test evidence at software-in-the-loop stage for early functional safety validation.

SIL-to-HIL traceability

Requirements traced from SIL validation through HIL confirmation in a single audit trail.

ASPICE-aligned process

Test execution and evidence generation aligned with ASPICE software verification process areas.

CI/CD audit trail

Every commit-triggered validation run documented with pass/fail and evidence artifacts.

How it works

From intent to traceable results

Describe intent

Natural language or CSV. Describe what to do, not where to click.

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Run adaptively

Real-time screen interpretation. Adapts to changes without re-programming.

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Validate, report & document

Full traceability: pass/fail, screenshots, timestamps. Audit-ready reports and user manuals generated from every run.

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Integrate anywhere

APIs for capture & simulation. Self-hosted or edge-deployed.

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Works on any HMI · Desktop · Mobile · Embedded