Driving simulator software from rFpro, a software company that develops driver-in-the-loop simulators for vehicle dynamics applications, could enable vehicle manufacturers to test ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) technologies more accurately.

The company believes many of the challenges faced by ADAS developers can be reduced by validating the control system response with a driver-in-the-loop (DIL) prior to installation on the vehicle. The upsurge of interest in autonomous and ADAS systems has brought a corresponding increase in the demand for testing to confirm their behavior and validate their response to the unpredictable conditions encountered on roads. Factors limiting virtual testing in conventional simulation environments have been relatively low graphics quality and poor latency, resulting in a system too slow to use in an emergency maneuver.

The company says its was developed to deliver driving simulation for vehicle dynamics applications and allows OEMs to re-introduce professional human test drivers into the model-based development process.

The company says its system delivers graphics up to 100 milliseconds faster than typical 3D engineering graphics, which is equivalent to a car length travelled at highway speeds. Apart from the improved speed of response, rFpro’s software claims to provide higher-quality graphics, an important factor when testing an autonomous system’s ability to distinguish between features with a similar appearance. For example, real-world lighting conditions create complex shadows that can confuse ADAS camera systems.

Another aspect of ADAS development is interaction with the vehicle driver who may panic or behave unpredictably during emergency avoidance, grabbing the steering wheel or fighting the system. Evaluating this type of interaction with a simulator also requires high graphics quality (to provide convincing realism) and low latency (to provide lag-free feedback to the driver).

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IHS Automotive