Abstract: Modern automotive applications such as X-by-Wire are implemented over distributed architectures that include several electronic control units (ECUs) communicating via one or more communication protocols such as CAN (Controller Area Network) and TTP (Time Triggered Protocol) over network broadcast buses. In these scenarios of increasing complexity, it is paramount for the designer to try different implementations quickly in terms of SW distribution and communication protocols so as to satisfy the requirements of cost, real time, and safety. In this paper, we present a novel way of rapidly prototyping communication protocols that are typical of the automotive domain. An implementation of the key-enabler of the rapid-prototyping framework, the Universal Communication model (UCM), is described.