Advanced simulator manufacturer Cruden will demonstrate the ease in which driver-in-the-loop (DIL) simulators can be added to existing automotive test environments and toolchains – particularly for the development and validation of ADAS and AD controllers – at the Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2019 (Stuttgart; May 21st-23rd; Hall 8, Stand 8630).
While driving simulators have traditionally been viewed as standalone development tools, operated by a handful of specialists, Cruden will show how its DIL systems are easy to slot in and use by the whole organisation. The ePhyse open-architecture interface integrates seamlessly with engineers’ existing CAE tools such as vehicle models, traffic simulation and sensor simulation, as well as with hardware test rigs. Cruden makes this possible via its open architecture hardware and software and the use of conversion tools. The company has also undertaken integration work with the suppliers of third-party packages commonly used by automotive OEMs and Tier 1s to avoid the need for complicated set-up work by its customers.
Dennis Marcus, commercial manager, automotive and motorsport, says: “With our full-size simulator at the Automotive Testing Expo, we are demonstrating Cruden’s understanding of the role of the driving simulator as part of a larger development toolchain. Our driving simulators are a flexible and accessible gateway from which the entire testing function can benefit, connecting human drivers and passengers with new and adapted vehicle systems during the design phase.
“In the past year, we have helped many hardware-in-the-loop engineers add human driver input to their testing with only a modest investment. By adding a driver in the loop at the earliest possible stage of the development process, engineers can validate and make design choices sooner and with greater confidence, resulting in better designs, shorter development time, less cost building prototypes and reduced environmental impact. Moreover, the use of DIL simulators helps close the gap between subjective assessment using real vehicle prototypes and objective assessment using offline simulations.”
Adds Marcus: “One of the many use cases of driving simulators, is the evaluation of false positives from ADAS and AD controllers. With a DIL simulator, these false positives can be tested on human drivers in order to evaluate the impact on driver safety and comfort. Understanding the reaction of the driver in the loop is essential in determining how to deal with situations where a controller might draw the wrong conclusion.”
Central to Cruden’s stand will be its cutting edge standard AS2 simulator: a motion-based driving simulator housed within a 200-degree, 3 metre high cylindrical projection screen. The Cruden AS2 simulator at ATE will feature components from various third-party suppliers including the vehicle model, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) hard real-time package as well as content and graphics.
Cruden product manager, ADAS, Jelle van Doornik, will present the simulator integration theme at the Automotive Vehicle Test & Development Symposium Europe, which runs adjacent to the Automotive Testing Expo.
Image – Cruden driving simulators slot in easily and flexibly into existing test environments and tool chains thanks to their open architecture hardware and software and the use of conversion tools.
About Cruden
Cruden is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of professional, open architecture HIL/DIL driving simulators, simulator components and software. Originating from Fokker Aircraft Company in the late 1990s, Cruden was formed in 2004 and today serves the automotive, motorsport and marine industries. The company’s complete simulator packages interface with any customer vehicle model and include on- and off-board projection systems. Cruden also produces vehicle, road/track and tire models in-house. The company launched its open architecture Panthera software suite in 2015. www.cruden.com