Driverless Durability and Misuse Testing Safely Perform Any Automotive Durability/Misuse Test

Increase Accuracy Improved Durability Testing with Robotic Precision and Repeatability

Enhance Safety, Increase Productivity Remove drivers from harmful testing environments and run tests longer

"...our only objective was to create a solution that allows for this type of intense off-road testing that could take our vehicles to the most extreme limits of their engineering while ensuring the safety of all involved."

Dave Payne

Manager of Vehicle Development Operations
Ford Motor Company

Robotic Durability & Misuse Testing

Leverage robotic hardware and software for durability and misuse test events.

Nav

Nav is a system of electro-mechanical components that convert a test vehicle from manual to robotic control. Testers can quickly install or remove Nav with few, if any, modifications to the vehicle itself.

Mobius®

Experience Mobius, the world's most advanced command & control software system for proving ground automation. Testers can create and execute detailed testing events that coordinate multiple unmanned and manned vehicles in the same location or at various locations around a proving ground. Choreograph vehicle interactions, monitor vehicle health, gather test data, and execute accurate, repeatable test events from one software system.

ADAS Swarm Testing

ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) technologies such as anti-lock brakes, rear-view cameras, and even proximity warnings have been placed in vehilces for several years now. However, the ADAS techologies of the future require much more complicated and dangerous testing before they can be made available to the public. Testing high speed collision anticipation and avoidance, for example, is simply too dangerous for human drivers. The risk to life and limb during testing is just too great, and yet the need and desire for such a technology is urgent and pressing. The solution, therefore, is for robot drivers to be used during the dangerous testing phases, and ASI is leading the way.

1. Autonomous Vehicles (AV)

A swarm of multiple AVs provide the host vehicle with the ideal testing atmosphere. Accuracy and repeatability of tests in greatly increased, as is human safety.

2. Host Vehicle

The swarmming vehicles can execute specific driving styles and actions to test system performances of autonomous vehicle within certain driving environments.

3. Testing Scenarios

Create prescribed scenarios that test ADAS at high or low speeds. Test for abrupt lane departures by surrounding vehicles, obstacles, smart avoidance/exit strategies and more.

Proving Ground Management Solution

ASI's universal automation technology has been used to automate most consumer vehicle types for testing, including: sedans, trucks, SUVs, and vans. This technology, including Mobius®, provides customers with the ability to control multiple vehicles with a single operator. The tests are performed safer, completed faster, and with increased accurcy.

Sedan

From first entry into the proving ground industry, ASI's technology has been leveraged most for durability and misuse tests on consumer sedans.

SUV

The rugged build and off-road potential of SUVs make them a key focus for durability testers and a key candidate for robotic testing programs.

Truck

From consumer to commercial grade trucks, ASI's proving ground automation technology has been used to automate various truck models.

Van

Heavily entrenched in European markets and gaining steam in the U.S., commercial vans have recently been a focus for robotic durability testing.

How it works

Explore Nav

Each unmanned test vehicle is equipped with a series of hardware and software components that permit a user to toggle between manual and robotic control. Once installed, a remote operator has control over the critical vehicle functions of ignition, transmission, steering, braking, and acceleration. The automotive vehicle kit is designed for fast installation and removal and is durable enough to withstand testing across many test vehicles.

Sensors

Sensors collect environmental info and relay it to the onboard VCU to give awareness to the automation system. Compatible with the Mobileye? camera system.

Control Unit

ASI’s patented VCU computer is the brain in the vehicle. It Communicates with the sensors and controls the vehicle. It also relays info between the vehicle, server, and Mobius.

Actuators

Universal actuators are placed in the vehicle to communicate with the VCU so that vehicle operations can be controlled safely and accurately. In by-wire vehicles no actuators are needed, as the VCU integrates with vehicle controls directly.

Advanced Path Planning

Use advanced path-generating algorithms in Mobius to generate complex testing events with full control over all vehicle functions. Create accurate, repeatable scenarios involving sharp turns, quick acceleration or braking, and other critical test variables. Proving ground test engineers can use Mobius to create vehicle events at specific locations on the path and gather data for event analysis.

Path Builder

Creates a drivable path that can be customized to match testing needs and course routes.

Event Planning

Execute actions at a specific point in a path. Functions include: acceleration, deceleration, stop, wait, lane change, variable force braking, roll over, and more...

Vehicle Tasking

Vehicles can be tasked to run routes as many times as needed. No need to switch drivers out due to hazardous road conditions, fatigue, and driver breaks.

Robotic Automation Benefits

Variability Between Human Drivers vs. ASI’s High Precision Robotic Kit

This data was taken from real proving ground durability tests and highlight the variability between human drivers and the variability between ASI robot drivers.

Four vehicles of the same model were subject to a standard durability test cycle. Two of the vehicles were driven by two different drivers. The other two vehicles were driven by two different ASI robot drivers. Each vehicle was fitted with an accelerometer measuring force in a single axis. The charts below plot the measurements made on the four trials at that same point.

Value

Enjoy greater productivity and economies of scale as single operators can control multiple unmanned vehicles.

A robotic automation kit costs much less than trained durability drivers operating the same vehicle.

Accuracy

The Frequency Response and Histogram charts at left highlight the reduced variability between robot drivers when compared to similar data from human drivers. Robot drivers allow for much more consistent application of your drive cycles to your prototype vehicles.

Repeatability

Tests being repeated more consistently by robotic drivers mean the integrity of that data increases due less variability in the results.

Productivity

In results from proving grounds that were conducting tests performed by ASI robotic kits, they were able to complete a series of tests in about half the time that it would take human drivers to complete that same series of tests. With robotic drivers, there is no need for regulated brakes or switching drivers out.

Safety & Stamina

The ASI automation kit is rugged enough to withstand any harsh durability test, and repeat it over and over again without any need to stop. A robotic automated durability test vehicle can run for as long as its fuel tank will allow. Robotic drivers can be used in tests that are not suitable for humans.