complexity


automotive developers unravel complex system architectures for test and validation SIMULATING RF ENVIRONMENTS AT WMG


Tester CPU


Temperature, Blindzone Warning, Brightness Actuation, Dimming, Heating


FPGA I/O ECU CAN Analogue, Digital Communications Discrete I/O


A connected autonomous vehicle (CAV) simulation facility at the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) in the University of Warwick is being used for research, test and validation of new automotive technology, including virtual verification and validation. WMG’s 3D simulator


REACTIVE VERIFICATION PLATFORM NI’s renowned test and measurement platform, TestStand, has been extended and re-engineered to produce the VeriStand verification and hardware-in- the-loop (HIL) simulation platform. Whereas TestStand is designed for developing test


and measurement sequences, VeriStand is designed around the need for model integration and the verification of functions with highly variable multiple sensor inputs. It can therefore be used for simulating embedded software or engine control units (ECUs). “VeriStand provides the ability to go outside the


constraints of sequenced inputs to more real time based reactive environments,” says Twaits. This flexibility is important for unravelling the


complexity conundrum because with so many variables creating a cloud of inputs from various sources, the ability to perform tests using sequences from a huge matrix of valid variable ranges is both impractical and ineffective in terms of cost and time.


MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS A further advantage of the VeriStand platform is that it is possible to pull in code and models that have been created in other environments. Such environments can include standard automotive industry software models of terrain, GPS, aerodynamics and engine performance or they can include standard mathematical models or input from NI’s LabVIEW NXG. LabVIEW has the advantage that it can be


programmed for controlling hardware such as actuators or taking inputs from sensors or DAQ systems. EE


aims to provide an innovative platform to bridge the gap between traditional hardware-in- the-loop (HIL) and road-based field tests. The simulator provides a drive-in, driver-in- the-loop and multi-axis driving experience. The simulator is


housed in a Faraday cage so that it can be integrated with the RF environment, including satellite information. Being fully immersive, the simulator can test how the driver reacts when noise is added to the car stereo or how the vehicle reacts when satellite signals are lost in an urban environment. Sensor and


communications include LiDAR, RADAR and scenery generation as well as Bluetooth, 4G, V2X and location information using GNSS. Emulating satellite constellations that


❱❱ Fully immersive 3xD simulator is used for research, development and verification including within simulated RFI environments at WMG


provide position information (GNSS) requires distinguishing between different environments. Driving on urban roads, intra- urban roads and motorways inhibits different signal characteristics, such as signal strength, reflections and the number of satellites that are visible. NI’s PXI platform was


used to emulate the RF environment because of the versatility and flexibility of the equipment. By combining it with LabVIEW, vector signal transceivers can be used to dynamically change the signal type and strength of the satellites depending on the vehicle’s simulated position. The RF emulator uses


three NI PXIe-1085 chassis with two vector signal generators


(6.6GHz) and two vector signal transceivers (also 6.6GHz) that can generate GNSS, AM/FM/DAB, and 4G/LTE channels simultaneously. A typical test on the


simulator uses generated GNSS signals, depending on the simulated location and scene. The location data is converted into the actual satellite positions to construct a satellite constellation signal, which is transmitted to the vehicle navigation system. When the vehicle


drives through an urban environment, the software automatically decreases the signal strength and the number of visible satellites. These adjustments can also be implemented manually through a user interface.


September 2018 /// Environmental Engineering /// 31


BUS


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