Korea's JIAT (Jeonbuk Institute of Automotive Convergence Technology) has developed a vehicle platform that can perform level 3 autonomous driving tests using dSPACE's ADAS/AD tool chain to support the advancement of autonomous driving for commercial vehicles. dSPACE has developed an over-the-air (OTA) vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) test environment that combines the advantages of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and VIL simulation. This enables manufacturers of sensors and ADAS/AD components in cars to provide a test environment that is almost identical to the real world.
Test Platform Is Based on Real-World Data
Perception technology, one of the core technologies of autonomous driving, can be roughly divided into "vehicle recognition technology", which identifies the location, direction, and speed of the vehicle via sensors or GPS/GNSS, and "environment recognition technology", which recognizes and analyzes objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, traffic lights, crosswalks, and obstacles in the environment.
In the OTA-VIL test platform built by dSPACE with JIAT, the self-driving information such as location, direction, and speed of the tested vehicle is based on real driving data, while the environmental information such as surrounding objects and road environment is linked to the camera and dSPACE’s Radar Test Bench – Essential 2D using ASM sensor models and AURELION data.
Almost Identical to Real Road Conditions
dSPACE has set up a development environment to verify the detection technology for autonomous driving and to ensure the safety of the components in a realistic environment. The virtual environment was implemented almost identically to real road conditions, and a simulation environment was set up to test various sensors (camera, radar, lidar) and ADAS/AD control units on real roads.
The level 3 autonomous driving test vehicle is designed to test various vehicle components such as ADAS/AD control units and sensors such as cameras and radars. It is designed to be interchangeable depending on the test purpose, which means that the VIL tests can be carried out in a dynamic environment or in an external proving ground environment.
AURELION Offers Flexibility in Testing
The test vehicle can evaluate ADAS/AD functions depending on the number of sensors and their installation position. In the AURELION simulation software, the installation position and angle of the sensors can be adjusted as required to find the best position.
This allows the user to:
- Evaluate the functions of sensors and ADAS/AD control units depending on changing sensor specifications and installation positions
- Check realistic test results depending on changes in vehicle conditions in real time
The camera/radar test bench is installed in the cabin of the truck and the tests are carried out by replacing the radar and the camera. The dSPACE hardware and the radar/camera are coupled with the vehicle PC (sensor controller + ADAS controller) on the driver's seat.
A digital twin of the road was created to test the functions of autonomous driving according to the use case. Signs, lanes, road structures, etc., were created in the virtual environment similar to real roads. AURELION was used to test different conditions depending on weather conditions and time of day.
Real World Data Combined With Simulation Data
By combining real vehicle data and simulation data, it was possible to test scenarios that are difficult to realize in the real world.
- Use of real vehicle data such as vehicle position, wheel speed, steering/braking data, etc.
- Simulation data for objects (other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.) and road infrastructure (traffic lights, crosswalks, etc.)
- Verification of sensor detection in poor weather conditions such as night, backlighting, rain, snowfall, fog, etc.
- Recording of data on real behavioral results
By providing a virtual test environment that is as close as possible to a real test, we were able to test scenarios that would be difficult to test in a real environment.
Test Passed
This project is the first in Korea to set up a simulation environment for real sensors in a VIL test environment. By verifying sensor and ECU functions in a complex test environment with real vehicles, it was possible to detect software and hardware malfunctions of fusion components in advance.
JIAT has also purchased a radar test bench - Compact 3D. This is located next to a test bench in a factory workshop, and the sensor it contains is connected to the truck when it is on the VIL test bench. The GNSS is important here, as the truck is not driving on a real road in this situation.
About JIAT
JIAT (Jeonbuk Institute of Automotive Convergence Technology) is a research institute that supports the development and testing of automotive parts and systems. JIAT offers a total solution that includes not only comprehensive research and development, but also technical services with state-of-the-art equipment, education, and training, and other business support projects to help domestic companies in the automotive and related industries become global automotive and supplier companies.
Courtesy of JIAT
dSPACE MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED JUY 2024