Vehicle Dynamics Testing Using Dewesoft VTS

Introduction

In recent years, virtual analysis tools have become more and more powerful and predictive, allowing to speed-up of the development process, and to manage the increasing complexity of in-vehicle systems.

Nevertheless, the amount of testing activity is all but decreasing, due to several reasons.

• Detailed simulation models require accurate validation, based on reliable experimental data

• The refinement of some vehicle attributes still needs the “human touch”, delivered by subjective and objective test and development on physical prototypes

• The development and validation of advanced driving functions (ADAS, autonomous driving) still require extensive real-world test In this context, in an extremely competitive global market, the testing process must be extremely efficient, time- and cost-effective.

• Overall quality of the measurement

• Compliance and reproducibility of the test execution

• Data accuracy: sensors and acquisition system

• Cost efficiency

• Preparation time: easy vehicle sensor setup and DAQ system configuration

• Actual test time: optimize the use of the time spent on the test track or on a test rig

Vehicle dynamics plugin 

Dewesoft Vehicle dynamics plugin is designed to carry on the pre-processing of the raw signals in accordance with the requirements of ISO standards for vehicle dynamics objective data analysis. 

All the settings can be managed in Dewesoft setup. Main features:

• Management of the coordinate system

• Filters

• Compensation of sensor position effect

• Compensation of g-force effect

It also provides a catalog of test maneuvers for objective assessment of vehicle dynamics behavior, based on ISO standards: for each kind of test, validation criteria and other objective parameters are calculated and made available as calculated channels in the measurement files.

Vehicle test suite

To achieve the highest productivity on the test track with the DewesoftX Vehicle Dynamics plugin, Leane international developed the application VTS

• An easy-to-use driver interface for Dewesoft systems

• Support for the Dewesoft Vehicle Dynamics plugin

• Management of vehicle data and sensor coordinates data

• International standards or custom test procedures

• Dewesoft integrated into the VTS measurement panel

• Quick look display of the main parameters and execution check

• Automatic test file naming and storing in a custom folder structure

• Data overlay and statistics from multiple test runs

• Test report capability

• Modular architecture for easy extension and further customization

The Leane VTS application manages the configuration parameters of each type of test:

• Info: basic information about the test

• Measurement: sample rate, Dewesoft screen ID and other measurement settings

• Trigger conditions

• Execution conditions, e.g. the nominal speed or steer frequency, and their typical or allowed values.

• Validation condition: validation parameters and their thresholds used in the validation check

The user can edit and store the default configuration of each type of test, including pre-defined values of the execution parameters and the threshold for the validation parameters.

The test driver needs just to select the test session and the test maneuver to be performed.

Then VTS suggests the pre-defined values to the test driver, who can select these values from the measurement panel according to the test plan, with no need to open the Dewesoft setup: one touch is enough, as VTS set everything in the Vehicle Dynamics plugin via DCOM interface.

All the main functions are available with just a single touch:

• Start/stop storing

• Test setup • Test analysis

• Save/cancel the test file

Conclusion

The new Vehicle Dynamics plugin is now available in Dewesoft to manage all the essential tasks related to objective vehicle dynamics testing, according to the main international standards.

The VTS application by Leane and Dewesoft allows for achieving the highest productivity, thanks to an easy-to-use customizable user interface that provides the user with seamless access to the plugin settings and the results.