Using the Model Paradigm for Real-Time Systems Development: ACCORD/UML

Abstract. Industrial competition is intensifying and products are becoming ever more complex and software-intensive. Engineers must therefore face the challenge of being both business experts and advanced software developers. This situation urgently requires new ways of thinking about software development, with the primary objective of minimizing development efforts wherever possible, so that engineers can focus on the added value of their products. The latest OMG initiative, called MDA-- for "Model Driven Architecture"-- advances the idea of using a combination of the model paradigm and various underlying technologies, to offer solutions to this challenge. For realtime domain applications, engineers may already be using model-orientated approaches ([1], [2], …). However, these are not yet entirely satisfactory, since they still require advanced real-time development skills. This paper describes the ACCORD/UML approach that was originally designed to lighten the daily workload of automotive engineers by relieving them of need for real-time expertise.