As the era of autonomous cyber-physical systems (ACPSs), such as unmanned aerial vehicles and self-driving cars, unfolds, the demand for robust testing methodologies is key to realizing the adoption of such systems in real-world scenarios. However, traditional software testing paradigms face unprecedented challenges in ensuring the safety and reliability of these systems. In response, this paper pioneers a strategic roadmap for simulation-based testing of ACPSs, specifically focusing on autonomous systems. Our paper discusses the relevant challenges and obstacles of ACPSs, focusing on test automation and quality assurance, hence advocating for tailored solutions to address the unique demands of autonomous systems. While providing concrete definitions of test cases within simulation environments, we also accentuate the need to create new benchmark assets and the development of automated tools tailored explicitly for autonomous systems in the software engineering community. This paper not only highlights the relevant, pressing issues the software engineering community should focus on (in terms of practices, expected automation, and paradigms), but it also outlines ways to tackle them. By outlining the various domains and challenges of simulation-based testing/development for ACPSs, we provide directions for future research efforts.

翻译：随着自主信息物理系统（ACPS）时代的发展，如无人机和自动驾驶汽车等，对稳健测试方法的需求成为实现此类系统在现实场景中应用的关键。然而，传统软件测试范式在确保这些系统的安全性与可靠性方面面临前所未有的挑战。为此，本文率先提出面向ACPS仿真测试的战略路线图，特别聚焦于自主系统。我们探讨了ACPS的相关挑战与障碍，着重于测试自动化与质量保证，从而倡导针对自主系统独特需求的定制化解决方案。在给出仿真环境中测试用例的具体定义的同时，我们也强调软件工程学界需要为自主系统专门创建新的基准资产并开发自动化工具。本文不仅揭示了软件工程学界应关注的紧迫问题（涉及实践、预期自动化及范式），还概述了应对这些问题的方法。通过梳理ACPS仿真测试/开发的不同领域与挑战，我们为未来研究工作指明了方向。