Implementation decision to provide ADAS function update for a vehicle

1. A method that improves performance of a vehicle by implementing a function update for an Advanced Driver Assistance System (“an ADAS system”) of the vehicle by modifying a Field-Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”) of the vehicle by determining that it is time effective as compared to implementing the function update using a software update, the method comprising:

receiving a Dedicated Short Range Communication message (“a DSRC message”) on a 5.9 gigahertz band, wherein the DSRC message includes digital data that describes a driving situation of one or more other vehicles in relation to the vehicle;

determining a set of conditions for implementing the function update of the ADAS system by modifying the FPGA instead of the software update that includes that a first time for the software update is within an update deadline, a second time for an FPGA update is within the update deadline, an estimated software execution time fails to be within an execution deadline, an estimated FPGA execution time is within the execution deadline, an estimated FPGA power consumption is within an FPGA maximum power consumption, and an estimated FPGA area is within an FPGA maximum area;

determining, based on the driving situation described by the digital data and system data describing a current situation of the vehicle, to implement the function update for the ADAS system of the vehicle which is operable to control an operation of the ADAS system when the determined set of conditions are met; and

in response to the determination that the determined set of conditions are met, modifying the FPGA of the vehicle to implement the function update so that the FPGA controls the operation of the ADAS system in a manner that conforms to the function update.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DSRC message is a Basic Safety Message (“a BSM message”) and the digital data is BSM data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DSRC message is transmitted to the vehicle by a Roadside Unit (“an RSU”).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital data describes a geographic location of the one or more other vehicles with an accuracy of plus or minus 1.5 meters relative to an actual geographic location of the one or more other vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the FPGA is an element of an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the FPGA is reconfigured based on update data which describes how to reconfigure the FPGA in order to implement the function update.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function update modifies a functionality provided by the ADAS system.

8. A system that improves performance of a vehicle by implementing a function update for an Advanced Driver Assistance System (“an ADAS system”) of the vehicle by modifying a Field-Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”) of the vehicle by determining that it is time effective as compared to implementing the function update using a software update, the vehicle comprising:

the ADAS System;

a Dedicated Short Range Communication receiver (“a DSRC receiver”);

the FPGA; and

an onboard vehicle computer system that is communicatively coupled to the ADAS system, the DSRC receiver and the FPGA, the onboard vehicle computer system including a non-transitory memory storing computer code which, when executed by the onboard vehicle computer system causes the onboard vehicle computer system to:

receive, by the DSRC receiver, a Dedicated Short Range Communication message (“a DSRC message”) on a 5.9 gigahertz band, wherein the DSRC message includes digital data that describes a driving situation of one or more other vehicles in relation to the vehicle;

determine a set of conditions for implementing the function update of the ADAS system by modifying the FPGA instead of the software update that includes that a first time for the software update is within an update deadline, a second time for an FPGA update is within the update deadline, an estimated software execution time fails to be within an execution deadline, an estimated FPGA execution time is within the execution deadline, an estimated FPGA power consumption is within an FPGA maximum power consumption, and an estimated FPGA area is within an FPGA maximum area;

determine, based on the driving situation described by the digital data and system data describing a current situation of the vehicle, to implement a function update for the ADAS system which is operable to control an operation of the ADAS system when the determined set of conditions are met; and

in response to the determination that the determined set of conditions are met, modifying the FPGA to implement the function update so that the FPGA controls the operation of the ADAS system in a manner that conforms to the function update.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the DSRC message is a Basic Safety Message (“a BSM message”) and the digital data is BSM data.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the DSRC message is transmitted to the vehicle by a Roadside Unit (“an RSU”).

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the digital data describes a geographic location of the one or more other vehicles with an accuracy of plus or minus 1.5 meters relative to an actual geographic location of the one or more other vehicles.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the FPGA is an element of an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the FPGA is reconfigured based on update data which describes how to reconfigure the FPGA in order to implement the function update.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the function update modifies a functionality provided by the ADAS system.

15. A computer program product that improves performance of a vehicle by implementing a function update for an Advanced Driver Assistance System (“an ADAS system”) of the vehicle by modifying a Field-Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”) of the vehicle by determining that it is time effective as compared to implementing the function update using a software update, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory memory of an onboard vehicle computer system of a vehicle storing computer-executable code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive a Dedicated Short Range Communication message (“a DSRC message”) on a 5.9 gigahertz band, wherein the DSRC message includes digital data that describes a driving situation of one or more other vehicles in relation to the vehicle;

determine a set of conditions for implementing the function update of the ADAS system by modifying the FPGA instead of the software update that includes that a first time for the software update is within an update deadline, a second time for an FPGA update is within the update deadline, an estimated software execution time fails to be within an execution deadline, an estimated FPGA execution time is within the execution deadline, an estimated FPGA power consumption is within an FPGA maximum power consumption, and an estimated FPGA area is within an FPGA maximum area;

determine, based on the driving situation described by the digital data and system data describing a current situation of the vehicle, to implement a function update for the ADAS system of the vehicle by modifying the FPGA of the vehicle which is operable to control an operation of the ADAS system when the determined set of conditions are met; and

in response to the determination that the determined set of conditions are met, modify the FPGA of the vehicle to implement the function update so that the FPGA controls the operation of the ADAS system in a manner that conforms to the function update.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the DSRC message is a Basic Safety Message (“a BSM message”) and the digital data is BSM data.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the DSRC message is transmitted to the vehicle by a Roadside Unit (“an RSU”).

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the digital data describes a geographic location of the one or more other vehicles with an accuracy of plus or minus 1.5 meters relative to an actual geographic location of the one or more other vehicles.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the FPGA is an element of an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the FPGA is reconfigured based on update data which describes how to reconfigure the FPGA in order to implement the function update.