AUTOSAR for dummies - #5 - VFB

As discussed in the AUTOSAR methodology post, Automotive SW at the vehicle level consists of a group of Atomic SW-Cs

The “virtual functional bus” is the communication mechanism that allows these
components to interact. In a design step called “Configure System”, the components
are mapped on specific system resources (ECUs). Thereby, the virtual connections
between the components are mapped onto local connections (within a single ECU) or
on network-technology specific communication mechanisms (such as CAN or
FlexRay frames). Finally, the individual ECUs in such a system can be configured.
The concrete interface between the components and the rest of the system on an
ECU is called the Run-Time Environment (RTE)

Above is the definition from the AUTOSAR consortium, this might sound a little abstract because it actually is.VFB is an abstract concept. VFB could be compared to certain extent with a Matlab model or any model. It is used to connect different elements and to design a system. But finally, it is just a design we don't have anything concrete like mechanical equipment in the case of the Matlab model or SW/HW in the case of VFB.VFB models how different SW-Cs are interacting (data transfer or service calls) and their properties. In case of the SW-Cs within the same ECU, the model is realized (implemented in code)  via RTE, if it is Inter-ECU the realization happens from one ECUs RTE to others via a communication channel like CAN, Ethernet, etc... and the BSW required to decode the data(HW as well as code)