Functional correctness is only half the verification story. In safety-critical development, software must also execute within defined time bounds under all relevant conditions. VectorCAST/Timing enables engineers to compute, visualize, and assess software execution times, including the statistical probabilities required for certification and validation.
Timing is derived from actual execution-time measurements using formal statistical methods. There is no hardware model and no analytical assumptions about microarchitecture. The tool models measured data to identify the extremes that matter for your safety case; the results it produces are suitable for certification audit without additional justification.
Who is VectorCAST/Timing for?
VectorCAST/Timing is designed for safety engineers, verification and QA teams, and system architects working on single-core and multicore platforms. It is relevant to programs governed by ISO 26262, DO-178C, EN 50716, IEC 61508, IEC 62304, and IEC 60880. A valid VectorCAST license is required.
Advantages
VectorCAST/Timing closes the gap that static worst-case execution time (WCET) and pure measurement approaches leave open, with a method that is both practically usable and formally defensible.
Produce timing evidence your safety case can rely on
Formal statistical methods applied to measured execution data produce results that are suitable for certification audits under ISO 26262, DO-178C, EN 50716, IEC 61508, IEC 62304, and IEC 60880.
Move Beyond Static WCET
Static worst-case execution time analysis frequently produces results that are too conservative, driving unnecessary hardware over-dimensioning and rippling constraints through your system architecture. VectorCAST/Timing works from measured data, not analytical assumptions.
Ground your timing analysis in actual execution data
There is no hardware model and no microarchitecture assumptions. Timing results come from what your software actually does on the hardware you are actually running.
Detect anomalous timing behavior early
Statistically anomalous timing behavior is identified rapidly across all stages of development, not discovered late during system integration or certification review.
Extend your existing VectorCAST investment
VectorCAST/Timing is built for the VectorCAST ecosystem, with a roadmap toward full integration with test, coverage, and requirements traceability.
The Problem VectorCAST/Timing Solves
For most teams, timing analysis is the least mature part of the verification stack. The two approaches in common use each carry significant drawbacks.
Static WCET Estimation
Static worst-case execution time analysis is extremely complex to apply correctly. It frequently produces overly conservative results, which drives unnecessary hardware over-dimensioning and introduces design constraints that affect the entire system architecture.
Pure Measurement-Based Approaches
Measurement-based approaches lack formal guarantees. Without a mathematically proven method behind the results, there is no basis for auditors to accept the data as sufficient timing evidence in a certification audit.
VectorCAST/Timing addresses both: it works from measured execution data and applies formal statistical methods to that data, so results are grounded in what actually happened and backed by a method that can be examined and validated.
Key Features
VectorCAST/Timing is qualifiable and ready for use in formal validation and certification projects. It produces reports suitable for statistical proof of timing compliance.
Product Availability
VectorCAST/Timing early access is available now for teams ready to adopt mathematically rigorous timing analysis ahead of a full platform release. The tool is qualifiable and produces reports suitable for statistical proof of timing compliance in formal validation and certification projects.
The product roadmap develops directly based on customer feedback and program priorities. Early adopters have the greatest opportunity to shape the direction of the final product, including integration design, reporting formats, and certification evidence packaging.