An embedded systems initiative has been set up as part of the European Union’s 6th Framework Programme which funds technology and science projects in the EU.

The initiative, called SPEEDS (Speculative and Exploratory Design in Systems Engineering), aims to define a standard for next-generation embedded systems.

“SPEEDS aims to provide a quantum leap in the way embedded software is developed and managed across different groups and companies in the supply chain,” said Gert Döhmen, co-ordinator of the SPEEDS Consortium. “SPEEDS will introduce considerable innovation to modelling and analysis as well as tool integration and accessibility.”

The targets for SPEEDS are a 60 per cent reduction in development costs and 40 per cent reduction in the development time of safety-critical embedded systems.

Another aim of the project is to move the industry from “model-based design of hardware/software systems towards an integrated component-based construction of complete, virtual system models”.