AUTOMOTIVE
The automotive industry is expanding its use of hardware-in-the-loop simulation for electric vehicles and advanced driver assist systems
Plug-in simulation
N
ational Instruments (NI) is expanding the scope for electric vehicle (EV) powertrain component validation using hardware-in- the-loop (HIL) testing and simulation. The move comes about as government
regulations mandating lower emissions and higher efficiency are on the increase, which places more pressure on the automotive supply chain to bring EVs to market as quickly as possible. For powertrain test engineers, the move to EVs represents new and constantly evolving technologies with rapidly changing test requirements on aggressive schedules.
HIL VS FIXED-FUNCTION With the fast evolution of technology to support EV development, engineers can no longer efficiently rely on fixed-function test platforms that require extensive modifications with each technology iteration. With its HIL platform, NI is equipping engineers
with the ability to modify and extend test systems more quickly and efficiently than they can with the traditional fixed-function option delivered by turnkey vendors. This approach can help accelerate time-to-market through the flexibility to scale system performance and change the I/O mix as often as necessary in response to rapidly changing test requirements. NI HIL systems are built according to a reference
test architecture based on best practices observed by participants in the automotive industry. The EV reference architecture optimises the HIL test of powertrain power electronics like the traction inverter, power converter and charger by providing
26 /// Testing & Test Houses /// December 2019
standard starting points for integrating high-fidelity power electronics and plant models, mapping and signal conditioning I/O, emulating sensors and loads, inserting faults, sequencing tests and reporting results. The NI reference architecture for EV test and NI’s
investments in workflow integration better optimise HIL testing for fast-moving new technology with quickly changing requirements. The flexible user- defined systems help validation teams keep up with the breakneck pace of innovation in the automotive industry by helping them cut test development time and increase test coverage.
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH High-performance EV HIL systems require coordination from multiple vendors so NI has worked with companies like OPAL-RT, with its advanced eHS electrical solver and electric machine library, to help ensure seamless high-fidelity model integration. Seamless integration of OPAL-RT models with the test system can help reduce test development times while increasing result resolution, helping customers achieve shorter design cycles and gaining better insights from test data. According to Jean Belanger of OPAL-RT, this
collaborative approach is key to the development of an end-to-end architecture covering the full HIL automotive spectrum, providing an economical, modular and scalable system. “The collaboration facilitates the development of
FPGA-based electrical solvers on popular NI hardware platforms, such as PXI and CompactRIO,
❱❱ ADAS and electric powertrains are the technologies that will characterise future motoring and require flexible test and development systems to make them a reality, above; the HIL system for EVs and the Vehicle Radar Test System fit into the full NI test platform to gain benefits of flexibility for EV and CAV (connected autonomous vehicle) testing, inset
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