Title: Real-time assessment of vehicle response in a virtual proving ground

Authors: A. M. Sharaf

Addresses: Military Technical College, Kobry El Koba, Cairo 11787, Egypt

Abstract: This paper presents two different types of driving simulators which were recently developed for the purpose of a real-time assessment of vehicle response in a virtual proving ground environment. The core of both simulators is based on a well-established intermediate vehicle model with a reasonable number of degrees of freedom and an acceptable level of accuracy. For the purpose of vehicle assessment, a virtual proving ground is created using the MATLAB virtual reality toolbox comprising the vehicle handling, traction and ride tests. A fully instrumented simulator cabin is developed to combine the driver, the control devices, all mathematical modelling of the vehicle subsystems and the visualisation system. To increase the reality and vehicle movement sensation, another simulator is introduced with a motion base. Different vehicle configurations are simulated during typical standard manoeuvres which reflects the robustness and fidelity of the devised simulator. The entire framework acts as a virtual platform for research studies and therefore eliminates the cost and dangerous aspects of field testing.

Keywords: real-time simulation; vehicle assessment; driving simulator; virtual proving ground; vehicle response; virtual reality; vehicle handling; vehicle traction; vehicle ride; vehicle testing; mathematical modelling; visualisation; vehicle control; virtual testing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2013.052994

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2013 Vol.20 No.2, pp.174 - 189

Published online: 11 Nov 2013 *

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