Optimize Software Development for Cars with Standalone Debugging Tools

When I bought my last car, the salesman upsold me on the newer model with heated seats. Well, in the heat of the moment I had forgotten that I live in California. I ended up paying a lot more for a car with heated seats that I only use a few times a year. Sometimes the same thing happens in automotive software development. You buy top of the line software developer toolsets, but mostly use the basic debugging tools. Standalone debugging tools can save you time during development, and save you from purchasing too many expensive software licenses.

This could be you, waiting for a license

You know that software development for automotive applications is a complex process which takes a lot of time. One delay you’ve probably run into during the process is waiting for a developer's license. Developer toolsets in the automotive space are expensive, which means they’re often scarce. Standalone debuggers can provide more licenses, letting you do your work more quickly and accurately.

You’ve finished some code that interprets your LiDAR round-trip times. Your ideas for the next section of code are bouncing around in your head, but you want to debug your most recent code first. Instead of getting right into debugging, you’re stuck waiting for a license. Eventually, you get access to one, fix your code and move on to the next step. The idea that was bouncing around before, though, floated away while you were waiting. If this situation sounds familiar you need a standalone debugger. A standalone debugger will allow you to keep your momentum going without any annoying wait times.

This could be you with a standalone debugger

Maybe you’ve also had a time when the inspiration beckoning was just too good to lose. Without fast access to a debugger, you might choose to keep working and leave debugging for later. Later could end up being during a system-wide test, when it’s time to mesh systems together. There’s nothing worse than finding a bug in your code right before an important delivery date and having to scramble to fix it. If you had your own debugger, you would never need to give into the temptation to put debugging off until later.

Of course, you will still need the final hardware testing and timing checks. However, if no one needs the developer toolset to do ordinary debugging tests, there will be less demand for the developer toolset during timing checks as well.

Standalone debuggers can speed up the development process all the way from beginning to end. After you get one you’ll never have to worry about losing your momentum while waiting for a developer toolset again. You also won’t have to worry about your own code or your colleagues’ failing final checks because of time constraints on debugging.

Save Money in the Mix

Not only will standalone debuggers save you time, they’ll also save you money.

You might cringe just thinking about how much those primo developer toolsets cost. Well, with standalone debuggers available, there will be less demand on the developer tools. Less demand means there is no need to purchase as many licenses. Standalone debuggers can’t hold a candle to a full developer toolkit, but as a result are much less expensive. Purchasing more standalone debuggers will save you money on licenses.

Those man hours you saved in the development process also translate into cost savings. You know the saying, time is money.

Debugger Functionality

Now, you don’t just need any old debugger. You need one with enough functionality to actually be useful.

Any standalone debugger you use should have the normal debugger features. It should be able to run code line by line, set breakpoints, and monitor memory and registers. Of course you’ll also want a tracing feature, though not as robust as the tracers in the developer tools.

In addition, your debugger should also be able to mesh with whichever developer toolsets you are using. Gaps in communication between your standalone debugger and developer tools will mean delays and bugs down the line.

If you’re wondering exactly who you should purchase a standalone debugger from, it just so happens that TASKING has released one. TASKING has broken out their debugging feature as a standalone, streamlined, product. This debugger has all the standard features you could need, and will also mesh with most high-end developer tools, not just TASKING’s.

Don’t waste any more time or money waiting for licenses and derailing your train of thought. Use a standalone debugger to guarantee that you are able to work at your highest potential.

Have more questions about the merits of standalone debuggers? Call an expert at TASKING.