Hardware in the Loop Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Type (Open Loop and Closed Loop), By Vertical (Automobile, Aerospace, Research & Education, Defense, Power Electronics), By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 - 2028

The Global Hardware in the Loop Market size is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2028, rising at a market growth of 10.4% CAGR during the forecast period.

The hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation is a method used in testing and developing complex real-time embedded systems. These are also abbreviated as HWIL or HITL. By integrating the intricacy of the process-actuator system, or a plant, into a test platform, HIL simulation creates an efficient testing environment. The inclusion of a mathematical description of all connected dynamic systems in testing and development takes into account the complexity of the controlled plant. The term "plant simulation" refers to these mathematical depictions. This industrial simulation interacts with the embedded that is being tested.



Traditionally, testing of control systems has been done on actual machinery (i.e., plant) out in the field, on the entire system, or on a powered test bed in a lab. This method can be exceedingly costly, ineffective, and even dangerous while providing testing fidelity. HIL testing is a fantastic alternative to conventional testing techniques. When using a simulator with inputs and outputs (I/Os) capable of interacting with control systems and other equipment, a computer model exactly replicating the physical plant replaces it during HIL simulation. By precisely simulating the plant and its dynamics, as well as sensors and actuators, the HIL simulator can provide thorough closed-loop testing without the requirement for testing on actual systems.

In fields like aviation or automotive where operations are particularly complicated, HIL has been employed for years. HIL can supplement the testing of physical plants to offer a number of benefits. One such benefit is reduced testing costs. A significant investment in HIL can be justified by the high costs associated with testing complex machinery like airplane subsystems. By adding HIL as a supplementary tool, field research can be minimized.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

With implementations in so many products and services, the HIL market cannot experience the individual impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Flight cancellations travel bans, quarantines, restaurant closures, restrictions on all indoor and outdoor events, and a significant slowdown in the supply chain, all resulted from the counteractions taken by various governments around the globe. Some other impacts of the pandemic included rising public panic, stock market volatility, a decline in business confidence, and future uncertainty. While commerce in some goods and services drastically decreased, it significantly expanded in others.

Market Growth Factors

A Rise in Automation is Propelling the Need for HIL Technological Advancements

Automobile manufacturers are incorporating technologies like autonomous driving, accident avoidance systems, and enhanced driver aid systems. ECUs, algorithms, and software used in autonomous technologies are tested using hardware-in-the-loop techniques. Hardware in the loop test bench is used to check the sensor data for cameras, radar, LiDAR, image signal processors, GPS, and other sensors. HIL simulators enable developers to verify new software and hardware automotive alternatives while adhering to quality standards and time-to-market constraints because in-vehicle driving tests to assess the performance and diagnostic features of Engine Management Systems are frequently time-consuming, expensive, and unreproducible.

Application of HIL in Multitude of Areas like Robotics, Aviation and Offshore Systems

The demand for hardware in the loop testing solutions that can fulfill these new benchmarks has increased as a result of the expanding functionality in contemporary cars. Hardware-in-the-loop solutions are primarily employed in the aviation industry for the validation and verification of aeronautical control systems. The hardware in the loop technique is used for the majority of testing demands because physical testing in this industry may be extremely dangerous for both real plants and people. Control systems and mechanical structures are typically constructed concurrently in offshore and marine engineering. Only following integration is possible to test the control systems.

Marketing Restraining Factor:

Lowering Demand of HIL Systems Due To High Complexity and Price

As building the mathematical model can be challenging depending on the variables and function blocks added to the system, hardware in the loop is a tough technique to apply. Microgrids, aviation models, and the development of automotive environments are examples of complex systems that call for hardware which can handle intensive data processing. In order to run the simulation model, companies must first invest in a costly initial configuration of real-time simulators and rack computers. A HIL simulator must be extremely complicated to run at high speeds or to use dedicated IO to produce high frequencies.

Type Outlook

Based on the type, the hardware in the loop market is bifurcated into open loop, and closed loop. The closed loop segment acquired a significant revenue share in the hardware in the loop market in 2021. A closed-loop feedback loop on universal testing machines transmits data constantly from the closed-loop controller to the motor as well as from the motor to the closed-loop controller. The load rate and stress rate, for example, can remain constant throughout the testing due to this continuous input. Closed-loop systems are more accurate because they can respond quickly to potential changes.

Vertical Outlook

On the basis of vertical, the hardware in the loop market is segmented into automobile, aerospace, defense, power electronics, research & education, and others. The automobile vertical segment garnered the largest revenue share in the hardware in the loop market in 2021. The growth is notable because more and more autos are using the hardware-in-the-loop technology to create improved ECUs, shorten the time to market, and meet different industry standards. The testing of Battery Management Systems, LiDAR, computer vision, and other crucial components must evolve due to new technological advancements in electric vehicles and autonomous driving.

Regional Outlook

Based on the region, the hardware in the loop market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA. The Asia-Pacific region dominated the hardware in the loop market with the maximum revenue share in 2021. India, China, and Japan are major market influencers. Hardware sales in the loop market have increased as a result of the industries' explosive growth in the automotive, aerospace, and power electronics fields. The increased initiatives to expand manufacturing units and factories in this region is expected to further propel the segment growth.

Cardinal Matrix - Hardware in the Loop Market Competition Analysis

The major strategies followed by the market participants are Product Launches. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG) and Robert Bosch GmbH are the forerunners in the Hardware in the Loop. Companies such as dSPACE GmbH, National Instruments Corporation, OPAL-RT Technologies are some of the key innovators in Hardware in the Loop.

The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Robert Bosch GmbH, National Instruments Corporation, dSPACE GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG), OPAL-RT Technologies, Speedgoat GmbH, Acutronic Group, Plexim GmbH, IPG Automotive GmbH and Vector Informatik GmbH

Strategies deployed in Hardware in the Loop Market

; Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements:

• Jul-2022: IPG Automotive formed a collaboration with Foretellix, a leading ADAS and AV verification, and validation platform provider. Under this collaboration, the companies focused on strengthening their cooperation to bring a comprehensive solution that is expected to reduce development costs and time to market and increase the safety of automated driving systems. This collaboration combined Foretellix’s Foretify verification and validation platform with IPG Automotive’s virtual vehicle simulation environment CarMaker yielding a solution that can be rapidly deployed by ADAS/AD development teams.
• Jul-2022: Elektrobit collaborated with The Qt Company, a software company based in Espoo, Finland. Through this collaboration, the companies brought together the Qt Device Creation framework and the NXP i.MX 8 Series Applications Processor with Elektrobit’s EB tresos software for AUTOSAR development and user interface engineering services, thus making it easier for carmakers to cost-effectively develop next-generation digital cockpits.
• Apr-2022: ETAS formed a partnership with PLC2 Design, a Germany-based professional design services company. Under this partnership, the new holistic solution from ETAS and PLC2 Design allowed sophisticated customer software to be validated realistically in the AD/DA environment.
• Mar-2022: dSPACE collaborated with Avionics Interface Technologies, a leading designer and manufacturer of Test Instrumentation. Through this collaboration, the companies jointly offered rapid control prototyping (RCP) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) solutions for aerospace applications by combining these products and their capabilities in dSPACE’s SCALEXIO Interface Solutions. This collaboration also supported a broad range of avionics system development and test activities, including embedded system prototyping, avionics system integration, and avionics system verification.
• Feb-2022: OPAL-RT Technologies came into agreement with Coordinador Electrico Nacional (CEN) of Chile, an independent technical corporation. Under this agreement, CEN got permission to start using OPAL-RT's real-time simulation expertise and experience in the modeling of a digital twin of their electrical network.
• Sep-2021: NI formed a collaboration with Foretellix, a leading automated driving systems product development, verification, and validation solution provider. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AVs). In addition, the companies is expected to deliver new integrated solutions to help engineers get high-quality autonomous driving systems to market faster and at lower development costs, while seamlessly integrating test data and tools across the software verification and validation workflow.
• Sep-2021: Vector Informatik came into collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz, an international electronics group. Under this collaboration, the companies integrated the DYNA4 virtual test drive simulation platform from Vector with the Rohde & Schwarz radar moving object stimulation system and so, focused on closed-loop scenario testing of automotive radar sensors for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD). This enabled powerful verification of safety-critical ADAS functions including emergency braking in an integrated hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) environment.
• Jul-2021: dSPACE formed a collaboration with Cepton, a Silicon Valley-based supplier of state-of-the-art, intelligent lidar-based solutions. From this collaboration the companies aimed at enabling easier adoption of lidar technology in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicles (AV), and other autonomous applications. Additionally, this collaboration enabled dSPACE to integrate Cepton’s lidar sensors into its simulation toolchain, thereby helping customers accelerate their development using Cepton lidars.
• Jun-2021: dSPACE came into collaboration with Anritsu Corporation, a Japanese multinational corporation in the telecommunications electronics equipment market. Under this collaboration, both companies planned to jointly demonstrate an unparalleled integration of a 5G network emulator in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system to develop next-generation automotive applications for connected vehicles.
• Apr-2021: Elektrobit collaborated with SUSE, the multinational, open-source software company. Under this collaboration, the companies provided car makers and Tier 1 suppliers in China with automotive-grade Linux. The EB corbos Linux is an operating system for high-performance CPUs providing a basis for the latest AUTOSAR standard and is expected to enable car makers to accelerate the development of cutting-edge software for next-gen E/E architecture.
• Jan-2021: NI signed an agreement with Konrad Technologies, a provider of value-added and application-specific automated test solutions. Under this agreement, the companies focused on developing test systems and solutions for autonomous driving software and hardware validation. Their combined efforts is expected to help in the deliverance of new technologies to help automotive Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs leverage real-world road data and simulation.
• Nov-2020: NI came into collaboration with SET, a technology company specializing in Hardware-in-the-loop (HiL), functional and power semiconductor test systems, and Tech180, a fast-growing tech company advancing the future of aerospace engineering. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed at disrupting the design, development, and maintenance of test systems. The collaboration is expected to deliver an innovative approach to test systems, including new products, hardware, and software frameworks, open systems reference architecture, and a paradigm-shifting System-on-Demand methodology.
• Oct-2020: Elektrobit formed a collaboration with Unity, the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed to streamline the process of designing and developing automotive human-machine interfaces (HMIs), extending together the power of real-time rendering to create next-generation, future-proof user experiences. This collaboration harnessed the power of Unity’s real-time 3D rendering platform, and EB GUIDE, Elektrobit’s unique and comprehensive HMI development toolchain that powers more than 50 million vehicles on the road today.
• Sep-2020: dSPACE partnered with Cruden, a Dutch motion-based racing simulator designing and manufacturing company. Through this partnership, the companies aimed at supplying the world’s first driving simulator integrated with a wet bench testing rig at the technical center of a Chinese OEM in Shanghai. Together, the companies developed a unique, combined driver-in-the-loop (DIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing tool for the development of automotive braking and steering systems.

; Product Launches and Product Expansions:

• Apr-2022: IPG Automotive unveiled SensInject, a new product to inject data from the camera, radar, and lidar sources for advanced automobile test systems. Through this launch, the company expanded its hardware range in the market.
• Feb-2022: dSPACE introduced AURELION, a new sensor simulation solution. AURELION provides high-resolution visualization for testing and validating functions for autonomous driving. The solution, which can be operated either in the cloud or locally, generates photorealistic images in real-time for camera simulation and, using ray tracing, an exact environment for radar and lidar simulation. With AURELION, developers is expected to be able to validate algorithms for autonomous driving by means of simulation during virtual test drives, long before a prototype hits the road.
• Dec-2021: Speedgoat introduced IO324, a configurable I/O module, and versatile Simulink-programmable FPGA. This product has combined accurate analog and digital input and output channels with a large selection of standard interfaces.
• Nov-2021: Elektrobit unveiled EB zoneo SwitchCore, the industry’s first Automotive Ethernet switch enabling secure, high-performance communications for in-vehicle networks. This product is expected to make it easier for car makers and their suppliers to develop the advanced, high-bandwidth communications systems required by next-generation vehicles.
• Jun-2021: Elektrobit launched EB Cockpit System Solutions, a new offering providing car makers with solutions for intelligent automotive digital cockpits. The System Solutions support the development of next-generation in-vehicle user experiences, from specification, design, and conception to production engineering and integration of hardware, software, and third-party applications.

; Acquisitions and Mergers:

• Mar-2022: Vector Informatik acquired Gimpel Software, a leading pioneer of static analysis software. From this acquisition, Vector expanded its testing portfolio of embedded systems by adding PC-lint Plus, a solution for comprehensive static code checking analysis of C and C++ coding languages.

Scope of the Study

Market Segments Covered in the Report:

By Type

• Open Loop
• Closed Loop

By Vertical

• Automobile
• Aerospace
• Research & Education
• Defense
• Power Electronics
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• US
• Canada
• Mexico
• Rest of North America
• Europe
• Germany
• UK
• France
• Russia
• Spain
• Italy
• Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Rest of Asia Pacific
• LAMEA
• Brazil
• Argentina
• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Rest of LAMEA

Key Market Players

List of Companies Profiled in the Report:

• Robert Bosch GmbH
• National Instruments Corporation
• dSPACE GmbH
• Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• OPAL-RT Technologies
• Speedgoat GmbH
• Acutronic Group
• Plexim GmbH
• IPG Automotive GmbH
• Vector Informatik GmbH

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