Strategies and Methods for the Fault-Tolerant Function Development of Multi-Domain Systems

The main focus of this paper is the exploration of fault accommodation possibilities in the context of the function development of multi-domain systems. Faults inevitably occur in complex technical systems and may lead, if no accommodation entities or processes are present, to catastrophic failure. Several entities and processes exist and are applied, but mainly on the concrete levels of product representation. Faults very often concern more than one physical domain and accommodation possibilities are present in many physical or even non-physical domains. This paper explores this specific challenge, investigates causes for the emergence of faults, and proposes an initial collection of countermeasures. These countermeasures are explained on the basis of concrete product development examples. The research is based on reflective participation, observation of best practices, and triangulation. The paper is concluded with an in-depth exploration of possible application areas and directions for further research.