Introduction

This case study focuses on a 20-person company specializing in the design, development, and testing of embedded systems. The company has collaborated with several foreign firms, concentrating primarily on two major projects: Audio and Video Tourguide systems, and testing the Smart Charger for electric vehicles. Its overarching goal is to devise solutions tailored to each task, with a particular emphasis on energy management, as demonstrated by its work on the Smart Charger.

The Story

One of the pivotal projects undertaken by the company aimed to enable electric vehicle owners to reserve and manage charging sessions through web platforms and applications. A Kibit specialist was responsible for developing the backend system for this initiative. His team was tasked with thoroughly testing the electronics and software, with the goal of providing timely feedback to the development team through automated testing.

A deep understanding of the product’s intricacies and functionalities was essential. Based on this knowledge, the team created test plans covering both manual and automated testing. As Java was the primary development technology, Java-based automated testing was selected to ensure alignment with the project’s technical framework.

The Challenge 

One of the significant challenges encountered in the Smart Charger project was simulating and testing charging states without access to a physical electric vehicle. To address this, the specialist gathered data on EV chargers and their operational behavior. He then devised a small electronic setup in the laboratory to simulate these charging states. This innovative solution enabled the team to replicate charging conditions effectively, supporting both development and manual testing phases.

Comprehensive testing was achieved through a combination of methodologies, including manual testing, unit testing for code validation, and API test automation.

The Results

In conclusion, the project proved successful. The simulation of charging states significantly streamlined the developers’ workflow, offering accurate representations of charging conditions and accelerating feedback through automated tests.

The diverse nature of the company’s projects fostered a “think outside the box” mindset, enabling me to explore and refine a range of testing methodologies.