VEHICLE MODELLING FOR REAL TIME SYSTEMS APPLICATION. THE VIRTUAL ROLLING CHASSIS

Abstract

Tools enabling early validation and error detection are becoming ever more necessary due to the increasing pressure on carmakers to reduce development time.Vehicle parts or systems testing, based on a complete virtual vehicle software model connected with the test bench, can allow for validation in very life-like conditions depending on the model used, which may in turn reduce traditional testing times (whether on the bench or around the track) and help with the early detection of design faults and validation. This testing approach involves the choice of a vehicle modelling approach which allows a model to be obtained with a suitable computing speed to be performed in real time, together with sufficient precision for the results to be comparable with trials carried out on the real vehicle. This study will examine the modelling process carried out within the development of a alidation tool based on a complete vehicle model, together with the conclusions obtained through a comparison with studies on real vehicles. The development of this strategy led to the concept of the virtual rolling chassis.The validity both of the modelling approach based on the virtual rolling chassis together with the final model obtained, was confirmed by means of a comparison with real tests carried out on the test track. There was an appropriate results correlation between the virtual tests obtained in the driving simulator and those obtained with the real vehicle.