Overcoming Bottlenecks in Modern Chip Development
From AI accelerators to advanced SoCs, modern ASICs are growing more complex each year. Verification remains the most time-consuming and resource-intensive phase of the development process. According to industry sources such as AnySilicon, ASIC verification can consume as much as 70-80% of the total design and verifiaction time. Other studies, like the 2020 Wilson Research Group survey, report lower but still significant figures (~47% of engineering effort), highlighting both the scale and variability of the challenge depending on methodology and project scope.
Engineers typically rely on simulation-based methodologies, using tools like SystemVerilog, UVM and formal verification to validate functionality and catch bugs early. While these approaches remain essential – particularly during unit-level and block-level verification – they do begin to show limitations at the system level. As designs grow larger, more software-dependent and increasingly integrated, simulation alone struggles to keep up with the sheer scale and complexity. The limitations create bottlenecks that slow down regression cycles, delay software validation and increase the risk of late-stage bugs – ultimately putting project timelines, budgets and first-pass silicon success at risk.
Hardware-assisted verification (HAV) offers a practical way to accelerate chip development and keep pace with today’s demanding verification workloads. By using dedicated hardware like emulators or FPGA prototypes, engineers can run tests much faster than with software simulation alone. This makes it easier to debug complex SoCs, explore full system behaviour and get better insights earlier in the development cycle.
What is Hardware-Assisted Verification?
Hardware-assisted verification is a method that uses dedicated hardware systems to accelerate the verification of complex ASIC designs. It complements traditional simulation by providing a way to run designs at much higher speeds, enabling earlier and more thorough validation – especially at the system level.
There are two main forms of HAV:
- Emulation platforms (i.e. Synopsys ZeBu and Siemens Veloce) that replicate RTL designs on purpose-built hardware.
- FPGA prototyping platforms (i.e. Cadence Protium or AMD/Xilinx-based systems) map RTL onto FPGAs to enable high-speed execution.
Both approaches help bridge the gap between software simulation and real silicon. Emulation provides richer debug capabilities and automation, while FPGA prototyping generally delivers higher run-time performance for long software workloads – teams commonly use them together to get both visibility and speed .
Why HAV Matters in 2025
With design schedules tightening and software workloads becoming more central to system functionality, traditional verification approaches are reaching their limits. HAV offers an effective way to address some of the most pressing challenges in modern chip development:
- Performance: Emulation and FPGA platforms can execute designs much faster than traditional simulators, enabling tighter turnarounds on regressions and deeper coverage
- Pre-silicon Software Validation: Engineers can begin software development and integration before silicon is ready – a major advantage for AI chips, automotive SoCs and complex next-gen devices
- System-Level Debug: HAV supports engineers to explore how large-scale systems behave under real-world conditions, uncovering corner cases and integration issues that are hard to catch in simulation alone
As verification becomes more software-centric and system-level bugs become costlier to resolve, HAV is moving from a high-end option to a more mainstream requirement – even for mid-sized projects.
Key Benefits for Design & Verification Engineers
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Runtime Acceleration | Emulators and prototypes execute RTL orders faster than simulators |
| Workload Testing | Run real software, OS environments and workloads for full-stack validation |
| Pre-silicon Debugging | Start driver and firmware development pre-silicon to reduce bring-up time |
| Improved Coverage | Longer test windows reveal functional and corner-case bugs |
| Collaborative Debug | Hardware and software teams can work in parallel on a shared platform |
Real-World Applications
Hardware-assisted verification is no longer limited to high-end designs. It’s now widely used across multiple industries to accelerate development, improve test coverage, and enable earlier software bring-up:
- AI & Data Centre SoCs: Validate full software stacks for complex accelerators before silicon is available
- Automotive Chips: Enable real-time testing of safety-critical ADAS systems and software integration
- Consumer Devices: Test power modes, bootloaders and more in smartphones and IoT devices
- Networking & 5G: Support system-level validation of protocol stacks for routers, switches and baseband SoCs
As system-level complexity increases, HAV is proving valuable across a much broader spectrum of designs.
Challenges & Considerations
While the advantages of HAV are clear, it’s not without trade-offs. Adoption typically requires:
- Cost Investment: Emulation platforms and prototyping systems can involve significant up-front and maintenance costs
- Setup Effort: Initial configuration and integration with existing toolchains takes time and planning
- Specialized Expertise: Effective usage demands familiarity with hardware debug flows and workload modelling
Despite these challenges, many engineering teams find that the speed, insight and system-level coverage gained from hardware-assisted verification far outweigh the initial outlay. As tools become more accessible and as verification demands continue to scale, HAV is fast becoming a practical necessity rather than a niche solution.
Learn more about Hardware-Assisted Verification
From faster regression cycles to pre-silicon software validation, HAV enables teams to scale their verification strategy in line with the demands of modern ASIC development. In upcoming posts, we’ll discuss emulation vs FPGA prototyping, outline leading HAV platforms and explore how HAV fits into the verification flow.
In the meantime, follow AsicPro Solutions on LinkedIn for insights, resources and more on all things ASIC design and verification.
References & Further Reading
Want to dive deeper into hardware-assisted verification, emulation and prototyping? Here are some excellent technical reads, vendor insights and industry perspectives:
- Siemens: Hardware-Assisted Verification Through the Years
- Semi: Chip Design Challenges – Driving the Need for HAV
- Semiconductor Engineering: Is Hardware-Assisted Verification Avoidable?
- SemiWiki: Meeting the Need for Hardware-Assisted Verification
- EETimes: The Case for Hardware-Assisted Verification in Complex SoCs
- Siemens (via LinkedIn): Hardware-Assisted Verification’s Value for Software Validation
- Synopsys: How Hardware-Assisted Verification Fuels the AI Revolution
- Deloitte: 2025 Global Semiconductor Industry Outlook
- Synopsys: Unlocking the Future of Chip and System Design
- Siemens: Veloce Emulation Platform Overview