Functional safety test for high asil automotive systems

A control system for a vehicle suspension system of a vehicle, the control system for performing a test cycle for testing communication between the control system and the vehicle suspension system, the control system comprising one or more controllers and the vehicle suspension system comprising an actuator coupled an anti-roll bar, the control system configured to:

• receive a vehicle stationary signal indicative of the vehicle being stationary;
• output a passive state request signal to the actuator of the vehicle suspension system in dependence on receipt of the vehicle stationary signal, wherein the passive state request signal is configured to prevent the actuator from responding to a received torque demand;
• receive a passive state confirmation signal indicative that the actuator is in a passive state;
• output a torque demand to the actuator in dependence on the passive state confirmation signal;
• receive a sensor response signal from a sensor configured to sense a torque level of the anti-roll bar;
• and
• output a fault signal in dependence on receipt of the sensor response signal indicating the torque level of the anti-roll bar is above a predetermined threshold.

A method for a control system for a vehicle suspension system in a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers and the vehicle suspension system comprising an actuator coupled to an anti-roll bar, and the method comprising:

• receiving a vehicle stationary signal indicative of the vehicle being stationary;
• outputting a passive state request signal to the actuator of the vehicle suspension system, wherein the passive state request signal is configured to prevent the actuator from responding to a received torque demand;
• receiving a passive state confirmation signal indicative that the actuator is in a passive state;
• providing a torque demand to the actuator in dependence on receipt of the passive state confirmation signal;
• receiving a sensor response signal from a sensor configured to sense a torque level of the anti-roll bar of the vehicle;
• and
• outputting a fault signal in dependence on receipt of the sensor response signal indicating the torque level of the anti-roll bar is above a predetermined threshold.