Robust test methods applied to functional design verification

With the ever growing complexity and interaction of the vehicle functionalities, a reliable functional test methodology has become a major concern. In 1995, recognizing the need to develop a quality functional test process, Ford Motor Company started a concentrated effort to define for itself and its suppliers an effective test strategy for functionality verification, for which the Robust Test Method (RTM) presented in this paper is an important component. The strategy was successfully applied in Ford, in an environment that is extremely cost-conscious, demands high quality and fast test turnaround time. RTM was born out of the need of Japanese industry to establish its competitive capability after the Second World War by providing high quality products. Madhav Phadke brought the methodology to Ford Motor Company. The introduction of robust test methods into the test process translated into a quantum jump in the test quality, allowing the detection of previously undetected faults. This type of testing applied to subsystem level design verification yielded more errors detected than the module and system tests combined, while reducing the test turnaround time by 30%.