Thesis Work - Using formal methods for protocol verification and validation i Lund

Thesis Worker at Volvo Cars

Welcome to explore the world of Volvo Cars by writing your thesis with us! As a thesis worker in our organization you are supported by a supervisor who follows you during your project. All thesis projects are arranged in business critical areas and therefore you will be able to contribute to our company purpose – providing freedom to move in a safe, sustainable and personal way – from day one! 

We at Volvo Cars R&D have significant presence in Lund. The Lund site is mainly focused on software development, where we work with cutting edge technologies for future connected and autonomous vehicles, with more than 700 people working on site on different innovative areas (Software and Electronics, Connected experience, Global online experience).

Background
Any implemented software contains at least one bug. As old saying goes that "The best code is the one that is not written", good software and system design should reduce potential impact area by defining clear and concise software and system specification.
 

But as any design is done by humans, it is inevitable that software designs too will have bugs. It is paramount to remove any or as much as possible design issues and bugs before any software is written at all, ideally with formal verification tools.
 

There is ever increasing cost (be it in money, time, or other resources) in fixing a defect depending on where it is found. We could assume that cost of fixing defect in design as 1x, implementation 6.5x, testing 15x, and maintenance as large as 100x. We can easily see that finding and resolving issues in design process provide the most value and allows organization to move much faster, be cost effective and execute with more confidence.

Scope
As part of this thesis, we want to introduce formal verification of internal protocols using TLA+ tooling to find any potential issues with protocol like incompleteness, undefined behaviors and other.
 

Any found issue shall be evaluated and proposed fix tested by formal methods in iterative fashion.

The thesis shall evaluate formal method process: from design, verification and validation, ease of use and reusability benefits.
 

Relevant technical domains
System verification and validation, system safety, system network topology design and optimizations, system reliability, networking systems, modelling real systems, fault modelling
 

Your contribution is our future 
-    You should love to hack and explore new areas while looking at the big picture.
-    You should have some experience with software development (C/C++, Python, git, scripting).
-    You should have a background in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, or other relevant fields.
-    We believe in excellence through collaboration and thus we would like to have at least two people collaborating for this thesis. Parts of the thesis could be split out as summer work, and/or part time work at Volvo Cars in case you are interested.

Students may work at the Lund site (Delta 3, Scheelevägen 23, 223 63 Lund / Ideon Park).

Duration
•    This thesis is to be conducted by a student.
•    The work will start around January 2023, exact date is to be discussed.
•    The duration for this thesis work is 20-24 weeks.
•    15-30 ECTS (academic credits) in agreement with your university.
•    Unless agreed otherwise, the thesis will take place at Volvo Cars offices in Lund, Sweden.

The thesis will be mentored/supervised by Bojan Miladinovic. The hiring manager is Ola Neckling. 
 

Be part of the change – apply today!
We expect student pursuing a Master of Science degree in computer science or similar. This thesis requires a good understanding of software development and system programming. Furthermore, interest in the following areas is highly encouraged: formal verification methods, security, safety, and computer networks.

Please note that due to GDPR, applications via email will not be accepted.

Apply no later than January 31th, 2022.

We are Volvo Cars

Volvo Cars is a company on a mission to bring traditional car manufacturing into a connected, sustainable and smart future. Since 1927, we've been known for our commitment to safety and for creating innovative cars that make life less complicated. In 2010, we decided to radically redefine our business, resulting in a totally new generation of cars and technology, as well as steady growth and record sales - and we're only getting started. By 2025, we aim to have yearly sales of 1.2 million cars, 50% of which will be electric vehicles and sold directly to customers through digital channels. We also intend to strengthen our position as a modern, progressive employer committed to diversity and gender and racial equality. We believe in the power of people. Join us and be part of Volvo Cars' transformation.