Having pooled their respective knowledge in the areas of simulation and real-world vehicle testing, IPG Automotive and iMAR Navigation have created a holistic toolchain for scenario-based testing. The partnership seeks to reduce the time and cost of vehicle development and homologation processes.
With automated driving tests becoming increasingly complex and test requirements changing from basic single-object tests to scenario-based tests with multiple participants, the two companies have identified a gap between simulation and physical testing at proving grounds in the real world.
The pair have developed a holistic toolchain that combines both test approaches. It enables customers to optimize test runs by reducing errors and optimizing proving ground test programs to save money and time.
The toolchain includes scenario planning and test runs within the varying parameters of any NCAP test as well as advanced scenarios in IPG Automotive’s CarMaker simulation software. Furthermore, the program benefits from pre-configured scenarios and test runs that are transferred directly to the iARGUS-CMD software of iMAR’s proving ground control center.
IPG Automotive and iMAR Navigation’s software is capable of managing the real-time control of all dynamic and infrastructure objects on the track, including the vehicles under test, traffic simulation vehicles, soft crash targets, driving robots, traffic lights and barriers.
Included in the toolchain is an OpenX to iSCAML converter enabling OpenScenario files to be imported. For test reporting, the joint toolchain also provides standardized interfaces to transfer test data into any data analysis software after test execution. This can then feed data back into the simulation and/or control center software.
The solution enables users to prepare and carry out vehicle tests more efficiently while also validating simulation results and being compliant with current standardizations such as AFGBV, ISO 22133 and ASAM.