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Project ONE
Mercedes-AMG is developing a true racing car
for the road, with a dynamics setup that can
handle a 1,000bhp Formula 1 engine
ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2018
Published by UKi Media & Events

Ride comfort Drift dynamics Development tools

John Miles attempts to Enter the highly unusual New equipment and systems
reconcile modern motoring vehicle dynamics that can bring an advantage
tastes with driving comfort environment of drifting to dynamics programs

ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2018

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10. Project One
Mercedes-AMG’s hypercar is hugely expensive, massively ambitious, a little bit
crazy, and it should be dynamically fantastic
What’s new?
4 Audi A8
A new 48V architecture
has enabled Audi to develop
a fully active electromechanical
suspension for the flagship A8
6 TVR Griffith
The British bruiser is back,
and this time it has the backing,
the technology and the quality
to match its outright power
8 Polestar 1
Polestar is known for adding
special sauce to Volvo models,
but it is now going its own way
with a high-performance hybrid
and an all-new suspension
Columns
12 John Miles
Our technical editor is skeptical
about the supposedly imminent
arrival of autonomous vehicles
14 John Heider
ESC is great for safety, but with
the right thinking it can also
inject a little extra fun into driving
CONTENTS 01
Product &
service profiles
46 Borgwarner
Features 48 dSpace
50 Altair
52 Racelogic
16 Ride comfort 54 rFpro
Consumers are demanding big
wheels and low-profile tires 56 Siemens
4 – but they also want ride 58 BWI
comfort. John Miles considers how 60 D-Box
conflicting demands are affecting 61 Dytran
ride comfort, and what can be done
63 Kistler
22 Interview: the father of ESC
Joshua Dowling put on a warm coat Five minutes with…
16 and headed to northern Sweden to
meet Frank Werner-Mohn, the man
who accidentally invented ESC some 40 Robert Taylor, Millbrook
28 years ago Millbrook’s senior engineer for
vehicle measurement discusses
30 Drift dynamics the latest trends in the proving
Graham Heeps finds his inner ground sector
22 hooligan and joins a top Formula
Drift team to discover how 42 Paolo Sacchettini, Jtekt
to set up a car to go fast, Pierre-Olivier Vittet from
sideways, and predictably
Jtekt’s steering division
asks Paolo Sacchettini from
34 Development technology the company’s driveline
Take a look at the latest division about the benefits
development tools, which can of Torsen systems
30 help deliver a high-quality
program more efficiently
“I was very
64 Dynamic legends
We get under the Kevlar skin of the embarrassed. I made
F40 to see what makes this one of
the best-loved supercars and most a mistake, but how
coveted Ferraris ever
did this happen?”
Frank Werner-Mohn, Mercedes-Benz
64
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
02 ROLE CALL

A note from the editor Vehicle Dynamics International

Abinger House, Church Street,

Sporting ambitions?
Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1DF, UK
editorial tel: +44 (0)1306 743744
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published by

›
Here in the UK there seems to be a conflict in our motoring world. The condition of our Published by UKi Media & Events, a
roads is steadily worsening, partly due to increasing traffic congestion; traffic enforcement division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd
is becoming stricter, whether policed by officers or their ever-alert roadside automatons;
driving standards seem to be falling; and traffic calming schemes have added humps to EDITORIAL
Editor Adam Gavine
our already bumpy roads. Yet cars are becoming sportier, with some hot hatches boasting Technical editor John Miles
300-400bhp (it doesn’t seem that long ago since the 170bhp Clio 172 was considered high Production editor Alex Bradley
performance in this sector); Nürburgring lap times are touted as reasons to buy one model Chief sub editor Andrew Pickering
over another; and wheel sizes are growing while tire profiles are shrinking. Deputy production editor Nick Shepherd
And it’s not just performance cars that are getting the track treatment, with even buyers Senior sub editor Christine Velarde
of small-capacity diesels choosing styling packages with big wheels to give the illusion of Sub editors Tara Craig, Alasdair Morton
performance without the expense of running a powerful car. With so many car buyers opting for
diesel engines, our traffic jams often look like the starting grid at a touring car race, but sound Contributors
rather more agricultural. Joshua Dowling, Graham Heeps,
John Heider, John Miles,
In short, the very quality we need most is being sacrificed for vanity: ride quality. In this Andrew Noakes, Marc Noordeloos
issue technical editor John Miles explores how dynamicists can apply their skills to bring back
a little ride refinement after their colleagues in the styling and marketing departments have ADVERTISING
added to the unsprung weight. Heed his advice and car buyers will retain their fondness for Publication director
their purchase long after the new car honeymoon is over. No more irritating shake and dither, Aboobaker Tayub
Publication manager
no aches and pains – and a more likely repeat purchase for the brand. This isn’t an opportunity Paul Adam
for the styling and marketing departments to further indulge their excesses though: just look at
the Ferrari F40 on p64 and imagine it fitted with 20in rims. Bigger isn’t always better. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
Even with John Miles and the F40 in this issue, we have room for one more legend of the Art director Craig Marshall
dynamics world: Frank Werner-Mohn, the man who devised the notion of ESC back in 1989. VDI Design team
traveled to northern Sweden to join the famous Mercedes engineer as he recalls the fascinating Andy Bass, Anna Davie, Louise Green,
Andrew Locke, James Sutcliffe,
story of how this major technology was created – and revisits the exact spot where a rather Nicola Turner, Julie Welby, Ben White
embarrassing loss of car control led to his eureka moment.
Were it not that Werner-Mohn’s discovery pre-dates the start of the Vehicle Dynamics Head of production and logistics
International Awards, he would surely have received a trophy. But Ian Donovan
now there is a way for outstanding work in the dynamics field to Deputy production manager
be recognized. If you or your company has had a recent eureka Robyn Skalsky
moment, or if you are a fan of a recent vehicle dynamics Production team
Carole Doran, Bethany Gill,
technology, car or personality, be sure to send details to me Frank Millard, George Spreckley
at adam.gavine@ukimediaevents.com for evaluation by our
international panel of automotive experts and consideration CIRCULATION
for the 2018 Awards shortlist. contact Adam Frost
adam.frost@ukimediaevents.com

Adam Gavine, editor CEO

Tony Robinson
Managing director
Graham Johnson
Editorial director
Anthony James
The views expressed in the articles and
technical papers are those of the authors and are
not necessarily endorsed by the publisher. While
every care has been taken during production, the
publisher does not accept any liability
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Vehicle Dynamics International
International, Tire Technology International and Professional
Mercedes-AMG is developing a true racing car
for the road, with a dynamics setup that can
handle a 1,000bhp Formula 1 engine
Average net circulation per issue for the period
Motorsport World, and organizer of Automotive Testing Expo January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016: 6,917
ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2018

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Ride comfort Drift dynamics Development tools

John Miles attempts to Enter the highly unusual New equipment and systems

Go to www.ukimediaevents.com to discover more.

reconcile modern motoring vehicle dynamics that can bring an advantage
tastes with driving comfort environment of drifting to dynamics programs

ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2018

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

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04 WHAT’S NEW

Audi A8
Audi has developed a new generation of fully
active, electromechanical suspension for the
A8, made possible by its first 48V electrical
architecture – and it has electrifying potential…

48V power
Each wheel is driven individually and
adapts to road conditions. Each wheel
has an electric motor, powered by the
48V main electrical system.

Five-link suspension
Audi claims the five-link suspension
influences and minimizes roll movements
when cornering, and pitch movements
when braking or accelerating.

Softening side impacts

In the event of an imminent side impact at
more than 15.5mph (25km/h), the suspension
actuators raise the body on the exposed side
by up to 3.1in (80mm) within half a second,
directing the collision to the stronger areas
of the vehicle, such as the side sills and floor
structure. According to Audi, this setup can
reduce the load on vehicle occupants during
a side impact by up to 50%.

Seeking comfort
The electronic chassis platform (ECP)
enhances ride comfort. A camera at the
front of the car scans the road ahead for
bumps 18 times per second, and if any
are detected, the suspension is adjusted
by actuators in preparation.

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 WHAT’S NEW 05

Smart steering SEE THE

SYSTEM IN ACTION
The dynamic all-wheel-steering If you want to see a
function combines dynamic and rear- demonstration of how the
axle steering for agility and stability. system works on the road,
The steering feel can be adjusted to visit the Videos section of
create feel ranging from comfortable VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
cruising to intense feedback.

Lightweight brace
The magnesium strut brace is 28%
lighter than the previous model’s die-
cast aluminum version. Aluminum bolts
secure the connection to the strut tower
domes for high torsional rigidity.

So what’s next?
There are much bigger implications for
this 48V technology: namely eROT
(pictured below), a clever system that
combines similar benefits to the A8
setup with energy recuperation
functions. The system is so clever, it
won the Innovation of the Year
category of the Vehicle Dynamics
International Awards 2017.
Small wonder that Audi’s dynamicists
also won the Team of the Year category.
If you have an innovation you would
like to nominate for the 2018 awards,
send the details to adam.gavine@
ukimediaevents.com.

Electromechanical
rotary damper 2017

An eye for safety Electromechanical

rotary damper
The pre-sense 360˚ safety system scans the road
for hazards and assists with the controls to help
prevent collisions. The active suspension further Vertical force
increases passive safety, with sensors networked in induced by road 46V battery
unevenness
the central driver-assistance controller (zFAS)
detecting collision risks around the car. Alternator
Conversion of movement into electrical energy
Gear unit

Annual Showcase 2018 •VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

06 WHAT’S NEW
TVR Griffith
A simple dynamics setup, light weight and British muscle: yep, TVR
is back, and a new engineering approach is set to widen its appeal
›
With an approach of high power,
light weight, a pure and involving
driving experience and reasonable
pricing, TVR has – in theory – always
been a sound choice for the head as
well as the heart. However, reliability
and management issues over the years
have limited the ownership proposition
to a more hardcore fan base. With video
game tycoon (and the man behind Aston
Martin’s return to racing) Les Edgar now
in charge, and with Gordon Murray and
Cosworth also involved, after three years
of development work TVR is again set to
be a great British sports car marque.
The company is relaunching with an
all-new sports car with a familiar name:
the Griffith. The company’s values of
light weight have also been retained,
with the car’s carbon composite structure
and body panels tipping the scales at
1,250kg (though this is heavier than the
original model’s 1,060kg), and a claimed
50:50 weight distribution due to the
engine being mounted “well behind”
the front axle line.
That weight converts to a power-to-
weight ratio of 400bhp/metric ton, with
the powertrain retaining the simple
ethos of the original Griffith, using a
Cosworth-fettled Ford V8 mated with a
six-speed gearbox. No paddleshifts here:
Griffith drivers will be having a hands-
on experience with the rather macho-
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
sounding Magnum XL manual gearbox
from Tremec.
There are a few developments that
may unsettle die-hard TVR fans, though.
The new Griffith is fitted with a bespoke
electric power-assisted steering system,
as well as ABS and configurable traction
control (required to be compliant with
European Type Approval). Expect the
systems to be unintrusive, though, as
the company says it favors “intelligent
engineering over electronic driver aids”.
The dynamics setup can be
customized, with the double wishbone
suspension setup featuring adjustable
coil-over dampers and concentric springs
at both the front and back axles.
An unusual feature is the ground-
effect aero package, with the flat floor
helping ensure high-speed stability and
handling through increased downforce.
The Griffith is a modern take on one
of the company’s best-loved models and
could see the successful rebirth of the
marque. With a focus on core values,
TVR could once again take on the likes
of the 911. As Les Edgar said, “This is
unmistakably a TVR, a British muscle
car that’s as awesome and brutal as it
is charismatic and refined. Importantly,
the new TVR offers levels of technical
sophistication, comfort, reliability
and practicality never seen by the
brand before.”
Tech spec
2017 TVR Griffith
Length: 4,314mm
Width: 1,850mm
Height: 1,239mm
Suspension: Double wishbone
Springs/dampers: Adjustable coil-overs
and concentric springs
Steering: Electric
The new Griffith takes
styling cues from a Brakes: Six-piston aluminum calipers
range of previous TVR and two-piece 370mm ventilated floating
models. The side-exit discs (front). Four-piston aluminum
exhausts impressed calipers and two-piece 350mm ventilated
onlookers at the reveal discs (rear)
at September’s
Wheels: 20in rear, 19in front
Goodwood Revival
Tires: 275/30 rear, 235/35 front
in the UK
Murray’s gift to Griffith
The Griffith represents a big automotive milestone, being the first
production vehicle to employ Gordon Murray Design’s iStream
architecture. iStream draws from Formula 1 technology, with
unnecessary weight stripped out to improve performance and
dynamics, as well as improving component durability.
Torsional rigidity is ensured in the iStream structure of the
Griffith by using carbon composite bonded to steel and aluminum,
clad in carbon composite bodywork. In the event of an impact,
force is directed through the front and rear crash structures,
ensuring the chassis remains intact and minimizing damage to
the bodywork.
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08 WHAT’S NEW
Polestar 1
The new generation of Polestar cars will be even further from
being your average Volvo, with outstanding dynamics
›
Polestar is stepping out from
Volvo’s shadow, progressing from
being a performance sub-brand
to becoming a standalone electric
performance brand (though still under
Volvo Group ownership). A new brand
demands a bold launch, and Polestar 1
fits that description, being a hybrid
electric 600hp, 1,000Nm GT car with a
range of 93 miles (150km) on electric
power alone – the longest full electric
range of any hybrid car on the market.
This is no mere concept: Polestar has
received €640m (US$745m)of investment
to support the initial phase of product,
brand and industrial development, and
the first car is due to roll out of the
company’s purpose-built production
facility in Chengdu, China, in mid-2019.
While Polestar is going its own way,
there will be reciprocal synergies and
economies of scale with parent Volvo Car
Group to accelerate design, development
and production processes. For example,
the Polestar 1 will be based on Volvo’s
Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA),
but Polestar engineers working in Volvo’s
R&D department have made it their own,
with around 50% of the car’s setup being
new and bespoke – and rather high spec.
For example, the Polestar 1 will
be the world’s first car to be fitted
with the all-new Öhlins Continuously
Controlled Electronic Suspension (CESi)
damping system, which can be set to
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
adapt instantly to road conditions in
accordance with the driver’s chosen
settings. The technology may be new,
but the relationship isn’t, as Polestar has
been working with Öhlins since 1996.
At the rear, a double electric axle
enables torque vectoring, while the
integral link suspension has a transverse
composite leaf spring instead of coil
springs. According to Polestar, this
suspension design delivers neutrally
balanced cornering characteristics,
minimum roll and low levels of NVH.
At the front is a double-wishbone
suspension, connecting each wheel with
two transverse links to help counteract
torque steer and minimize understeer.
In keeping with the lightweight ethos of
the car, the majority of the suspension
parts are made of aluminum to reduce
unsprung weight.
Stopping power is more important
than horsepower, and Polestar 1 has this
covered, with the six-piston monobloc
calipers at each front wheel milled from
one piece of aluminum. The calipers,
supplied by Akebono, are coupled with
400 x 38mm ventilated and drilled discs.
A further two models now in the
planning stages will be fully electric.
Polestar 2, a mid-sized BEV due in 2019,
will be the Volvo group’s first BEV and
will compete with the Tesla Model 3.
A larger SUV-style BEV, the Polestar
3, will follow.
Tech spec
2019 Polestar 1
Suspension: Öhlins CESi and double wishbone
(front), integral link (rear)
CFRP has been chosen Brakes: Akebono six-piston calipers (front),
for the body structure Conti EPB (rear)
to reduce weight,
increase range and Tires: 275/30 R21 (front), 295/30 R21 (rear)
improve torsional Body: CFRP and steel compound
stiffness by 45%, as
well as lower the center
Drive: 2-liter in-line 4-cylinder supercharged
and turbocharged engine, two rear-axle
of gravity. A cleverly
shaped patch of CFRP electric motors and crank ISG
bonded to the steel Power: 600hp
underbody – known
Torque: 1,000Nm
as the Dragonfly –
stiffens the interface Electric range: 150km (93 miles) (NEDC)
between the middle
floor and rear structure
Aerodynamic know-how
Polestar has also been busy with performance enhancements for
Volvo’s S60 and V60, making 250 component changes to the standard
setups. Of note are the carbon-fiber aerodynamic components, which
include a front splitter, side sills and a rear-spoiler extension.
According to Polestar these changes increase downforce by 30%.
Polestar co-developed the aero package with motorsport partner
Cyan Racing, applying data and lessons derived from the WTCC. Many
of these components were developed and tested during the race
team’s Nürburgring test, when a Polestar S60 set a record for the
fastest four-door road-legal car around the Nordschleife.
The dynamics enhancements extend under the skin, with key
component changes including an adjustable Öhlins shock absorber
system and six-piston Brembo brake calipers with 371mm discs.
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10 WHAT’S NEW
Project One
With this amazing project to mark a half-century
of high-performance activity, Mercedes-AMG is
truly bringing Formula 1 technology to the road
›
To mark its 50th anniversary,
AMG is cooking up something
special: the Mercedes-AMG Project
One, a hypercar featuring genuine F1
technology and a hybrid, 1.6-liter V6
turbocharged combustion engine with
four electric motors generating over
1,000hp, for a top speed of around
220mph (350km/h). It’s not just what
it delivers, though; it’s how. And as this
engine comes from the Mercedes-AMG
Petronas F1 car, it can rev to 11,000rpm.
There are also two 120kW electric
motors at the front axle, each connected
to a front wheel via a reduction gear. The
fully electrically driven front axle allows
individual acceleration and braking of
each front wheel, and therefore selective
torque distribution. The rotor revolutions
in the axle motors go up to 50,000rpm
– much faster than today’s typical rotor
maximum of 20,000rpm – and AMG’s
engineers estimate that up to 80% of
the braking energy can be optimally
used for recuperation under everyday
driving conditions. Each electric motor
is controlled by its own power electronics
located close to the electric motors in
the floor assembly.
The suspension is multilink front and
rear, with the adjustable coil-overs being
unusual in that both push-rod spring
struts have been installed across the
direction of travel, and the arrangement
of the spring/damper unit replaces
the function of conventional tubular
cross-members. According to AMG, this
setup prevents rolling movements even
during very rapid directional changes,
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
without being uncomfortable. Indeed
driver comfort has been considered in
the design of the setup – after all, a
fat wallet is the prerequisite for getting
behind the wheel, not driving skill – so
the springs and dampers are configured
for balance and easy control, assisted by
all-wheel drive, torque vectoring, ABS
and three-stage ESP.
A unique set of wheels has been
created for Project One, a 10-spoke
forged aluminum design with center
locks, and a radial carbon-fiber semi-
cover with a sophisticated shape that
has been devised to improve the car’s
aerodynamics by optimizing the airflow
around the wheels. As another clever
touch, three flat ventilation slots per
spoke section ensure optimum heat
dissipation from the ceramic compound
braking system.
As Ola Källenius, head of R&D for
Daimler group stated, “This hypercar
handles exactly as it looks: it takes your
breath away.”
If you wish to place a deposit for this
€2.3m (US$2.72m) creation you’d best
be quick, as Project One is limited to
275 units – and they are rumored to be
selling fast. However, future AMG buyers
should enjoy a taste of Project One, as
a big driver for the program is to learn
more about performance-oriented plug-
in hybrid technology for the road, as
well as extended onboard electronics,
and of course further developments of
suspension layouts. All these lessons are
expected to benefit series production
AMG cars in the future.
 WHAT’S NEW 11

Tech spec
Mercedes-AMG Project One
Rear-wheel drive output: >500kW
Front-wheel drive output: 2 x 120kW
System output: >740kW (>1,000hp)
Suspension: Multilink with adjustable coil-overs
Brakes: Ceramic high-performance compound braking system
Wheels: Aerodynamically optimized 10-spoke forged aluminum,
10.0 J x 19 front and 12.0 J x 20 rear
Tires: Bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, 285/35 ZR 19 (front)
and 335/30 ZR 20 (rear)
Drive: Variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ AWD with hybrid-drive
rear axle, electrically driven front axle and torque vectoring

WHO GOT THE BEST

BIRTHDAY PRESENT?
Remember Ferrari’s 40th
birthday, when Enzo
himself commissioned
a race car for the road?
See p64 for the story

Annual Showcase 2018 •VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

 12 OPINION
Miles
Despite frequent announcements
that AVs are imminent on our roads,
the reality is quite different, says
John Miles
›
There was a time not so long ago when cars were
simple machines, which any owner with some practical
knowledge was quite capable of maintaining. Humble
machines like the Morris Minor, Ford Escort, BMC Mini and Ford
Cortina had no features like ABS, cruise control, emergency
brake assist, lane-departure warning or lane-keep assist,
nor hill-start assist, self-parking, corrective steering torque
recommendation, split-µ traction assist, intelligent cruise
control, or stability control by braking or throttle intervention.
All those features, and even measurement of steering wheel
torque/angle plus accelerometer pack data, are commonplace
today and now we have rapidly developing capabilities in
visual recognition, radar and its associated technologies,
and GPS-based location techniques.
Have all these systems made cars safer? Undoubtedly. But
nicer to drive? Probably not. In essence, electronically controlled
dynamic safety systems are designed to stop unintended body
Technical editor yaw, and/or slow the car down automatically – attributes that
John Miles is a major will always reduce driver participation in the process.
industry figure, known Driver-assist innovations may have led to the possibility
initially for motor of the autonomous vehicle (AV), but I wonder if all the
racing in the 1960s,
including F3, F2 and
implications of AVs have been considered yet. Just because
GT racing at Team autonomous control is now universal in commercial aviation –
Lotus, and F1 racing but thought by some to have robbed pilots of stick and rudder
in the 1970s. He has skills – does not mean it will work so well with 29 million cars
vast experience, on the road. Even in aviation, electronic ‘gremlins’ and false
having spent 18 years signals are commonplace, giving pilots some nerve-jangling
at Lotus Engineering, moments, and occasionally fatal outcomes.
three years at Aston So far what we have is a collection of useful electronic
Martin, and 13 years additions that benefit safely and convenience, and thus assist
at Multimatic Chassis
Engineering
the driver. Humans are still in control today, but very different
circumstances will prevail once truly viable AVs arrive on the
scene. AVs are ultimately controlled by sensors, software,
electric motors, and a selection of servo controls as in the
aircraft case, but these systems cannot have intuition, or fine
judgement of complex situations.
I have mentioned previously the complex realities and
inconsistencies of UK road topography and markings, the
“Have all these systems made
cars safer? Undoubtedly.
But nicer to drive? Probably not”
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
unpredictable weather (patches of ice for example), night
driving problems, and also the potentially chaotic behavior
of pedestrians and cyclists.
If an AV is to keep up with main road traffic in Europe
(especially Germany) and not be hobbled by low speeds
for safety reasons, the ‘machine minder’ sitting behind the
steering wheel will have virtually no time to recognize a failure
and take control – even if it is just a benign drop out – let
alone do something useful about it. More likely the wrong
action would be taken, making an unstable situation worse.
From my perspective, the concept of humans intermingling
with machines incapable of subtle judgement and intuition
is not great. Can cameras and software recognize the body
language of a driver, an incorrect signal, or a driver’s hand
or head motions and agree on an action? Might the AV make
a decision based on an incorrect signal, or deal with a car
making a sudden turn in front, or a cyclist jammed up the
inside on a corner?
Can sensors and software process the activity of a busy
city street, then reliably decide whether to brake or steer, or
whether a combination of both is necessary? The sophistication
of control required to do these tasks with 100% reliability
makes fly-by-wire control systems a Stone Age technology
by comparison. The human is too clever. Bumbling around an
airfield test track on a predetermined course or around the
outskirts of Milton Keynes is one thing; driving
on real roads at real speeds is quite another.
And then we come to perhaps the biggest problem of all.
Current motoring law regarding a motoring accident is based
on someone being at fault, and the responsibility being
apportioned accordingly. Even when the incident is due to
the machine itself breaking, current legal mechanisms are
well understood. My understanding from a representative of
the legal profession is that current road traffic law simply does
not have a framework in place for dealing with an accident
involving AVs, and that a whole new set of legal and insurance
protocols will have to be put into motoring law.
Meanwhile, an engineering colleague suggests that until
we have machines that can think, learn, and feel guilt, we
ought to limit ourselves to current systems that only assist
the driver. If we are to truly share the road with computers,
who is to lay down the framework of human-versus-machine
law when the expertise in autonomous control systems is
absent in the courtroom, and there are no independent
witnesses to the event, or the circumstances leading up
to it? Looks like it will be man against data.
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 14 OPINION

Heider

ESC has been a major advance in the
vehicle dynamics industry and saves
lives – but it can also inject a little extra
fun, says John Heider
practice normally included immediately switching off
the ESC system, knowing it would only unnecessarily
intrude on the day’s activities. Most high-performance
vehicles today offer a race mode or similar, which allows
the driver to exceed the handling limits of their vehicle
by a considerable amount before the ESC system applies
corrective actions. Anyone who imagines their exceptional

›
The Hand of God entered the world of vehicle dynamics video game skills will translate well to the race track is
in the early 1990s. Regardless of religious affiliation, advised to use this setting.
the introduction of electronic stability control systems Manufacturers have also increasingly removed the ‘fully off’
(ESC, or pick your favorite of 50+ different acronyms in use by option on many vehicles. This trend started on higher center
today’s manufacturers) is the single most effective active safety of gravity SUVs or CUVs, but has begun to migrate to sedans
technology introduced to our vehicle dynamics world to date. as well. Despite the driver selecting the ‘off’ setting, the ESC
By combining existing anti-lock brake and traction control system remains ‘ghosted’ in the background, ready to intervene
technologies along with cost-effective steering wheel angle, when things start to go a bit wrong. Without understanding
yaw rate and/or lateral acceleration sensors, the foundations why a customer would switch off the system during normal
of the modern ESC system were set. Add in electronic modules driving, this is a reasonable safety net.
with adequate sampling rates and clever software engineers, Diligent vehicle dynamics development engineers conduct
and it soon became possible to figure out what the driver was the majority of their limit handling work with the ESC system
intending to do, what the vehicle was capable of executing, switched off, or on prototypes with disabled systems. The
and how to best bridge the gap between the driver’s wishes capability of the base, non-ESC-aided handling of a vehicle
and the laws of physics. is crucial to the customer driving experience, the success
Understeer detection continues to be one of the biggest of the ESC system development process, as well as the
challenges of any ESC system. Detecting an oversteering safety of the vehicle should the ESC system be rendered
condition even before the driver applies any steering correction non-functional during the life of the vehicle.
John Heider spent is inherently easier than detecting the vehicle beginning to The capabilities of future ESC systems have already begun
21 years at Ford in
all areas of vehicle
follow a larger radius path than the driver intends. Having said to take shape. Rather than adjusting the attitude of a vehicle
dynamics and is that, recent high-performance front-wheel-drive vehicles from solely through brake and/or drive torque, electric power
now principal at some manufacturers have employed understeer control systems steering systems can actively steer the vehicle if required. The
Cayman Dynamics, using the sensor inputs from the ESC system to apply the front sophisticated sensor systems employed for semi-autonomous
providing vehicle and/or rear brakes to rotate the vehicle more effectively into capability will be integrated into future ESC systems, allowing
dynamics expertise corners which would normally produce terminal understeer. more accurate and precise vehicle control during emergency
Who says safe can’t also be fun? situations. Will fully autonomous vehicles require some form
The most impressive feature of modern ESC systems is their of ESC system? Most likely, but the elimination of the external
ability to offer multiple driver-selectable modes. For customers driver inputs will result in dramatically different system
attending a track day, autocross or similar event, standard capabilities to those available today.

“The capabilities of future ESC systems

have already begun to take shape”

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

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 16
Photo: Shutterstock.com RIDE COMFORT

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 RIDE COMFORT 17

A sign of things to
come? Renault’s
Trezor concept sports
car has been fitted
with bespoke ultra-low
profile Continental
tires, 21in at the front
and 22in at the rear

Smooth talking
From big wheels to low-profile tires, the demands of modern consumers are even
more demanding for dynamicists. Technical editor John Miles considers the
effects that these demands are having on ride comfort

Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

Ad for Vehicle Dynamics International.indd 1 24/10/2017 13:27:49

›
A recent poll on VehicleDynamicsInternational.com asked
readers which of these three changes to vehicle attributes
they would most like to see: smaller wheels (and by
inference, taller tires), softer suspension setups, or narrower
cars. The overwhelming winner was reduced wheel diameter,
which would bring greater tire sidewall heights, and with them
the potential for better ride comfort.
Older readers of VDI may recall the exceptional comfort
offered by the 12-cylinder Jaguars of the late 1970s and 1980s,
which were a prime example of silky ride and sufficiently flat
cornering, as was once demonstrated to Rolls-Royce engineers
by this writer. A little further down the comfort scale there
were conventionally suspended Peugeots and (some) Renaults
(in much more recent times, the Renault Kangoo and Citroën
Berlingo vans of all things ride very well!). Alex Moulton’s
Hydragas design for the 1960s Austin Maxi and 1100/1800
range bought amazing comfort to the mass car market – if
not suspension system reliability. And in primary ride terms,
the even earlier Michelin X shod hydropneumatic Citroën
ID/DS suspension was a revolution, but again not noted for
reliability, or some aspects of secondary ride – all of them on
70 or 80 aspect ratio rubber.
SIDEWALL HEIGHT
For ride comfort, sidewall height is the critical factor. The
movement toward handling and the +1in wheel diameter
option, and thus lower-profile (sidewall divided by tread
width) tires really gained traction in the 1980s. With it came
an increasing emphasis on styling and handling, fostered by
magazine articles featuring photos of cars sliding around on
test tracks. Initially the moderate increases in wheel diameter,
and reductions in tire sidewall height from the existing 80 and
70 aspect ratio rubber, resulted in a win-win situation, where
Smaller wheels
57%
TOP: In a recent poll on
the Vehicle Dynamics
International website,
readers were asked
which vehicle attributes
they would most like
to see in the future.
Wheel size was
considered critical
ABOVE: Comfort and
style. Jaguar stylists of
the 1980s didn’t mind
a taller tire sidewall
BELOW: The 2017 Ford
GT has 20in lightweight,
forged aluminum wheels
as standard, with even
lighter (1kg a corner)
and stiffer carbon-fiber
wheels as an option
RIDE COMFORT 19
Softer suspension Narrower cars
29% 14%
the benefits in handling and steering precision outweighed any
small loss in comfort, thanks to advances in suspension design,
the more frequently found independent rear suspensions
replacing twistbeams (at class C and above), tire development,
strut friction reduction, more sophisticated bushings, stiffer
body shells, and growing damper tuning expertise.
The question is whether comfort has now taken a backward
step due to further reductions in tire profiles and wider tire
footprints.
VEHICLE WIDTH
The tire is of course ultra-critical in all aspects of vehicle
dynamics and body design. However, wider tires and wheels
dictate wider cars, necessary in achieving acceptable back-
lock angles, better side-impact protection, and packaging
a wide range of powertrain options. Improvements in roll
control follow because of the reduced lateral weight transfer
as track widths increase. That said, we now feel that vehicle
widths have reached maximum acceptable limits, and in
many cases exceeded them, often presenting the driver with
embarrassingly real passing clearance issues in towns and on
UK rural roads, especially with SUVs and wide supercars. Wider
wheels and tires have also virtually eliminated the possibility
of fitting a proper spare wheel.
Note that the overall width of a Ford Focus has grown from
the quoted 1,699mm of the Mk1, to 1,823mm for the Mk3 –
and that does not include the door mirrors. Focus wheel arches
now typically house 17 x 7in rims shod with 215/50-17 tires,
a far cry from the 195/55-15 rubber of the 1998 Mk1, which,
by the way, was around 200kg lighter than the current model.
HARSH READING
At around 80mph (say 19Hz rotational speed) a typical tire
sidewall has to compress approximately 20-25mm and release
in around 9ms. Depending on tire construction and sidewall
stiffness, this entails a vertical acceleration in belt and sidewall
of at least 1,200g (according to analysis by Multimatic) and
probably nearer 3,000g according to Saab/GM chassis guru
Magnus Roland. Not only that, the tire is asked to continuously
filter out a substantial proportion of the infinitely complex
accelerations and high-frequency energy flowing from the road
before it reaches the suspension links, compliance bushes,
and especially dampers, which are velocity- and acceleration-
dependent devices. All of which gives an insight into the
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
 20
Photo: David Hunt RIDE COMFORT
potential for a logarithmic deterioration in comfort as tire
ABOVE: The evolution profiles become lower, and tread widths wider.
of the Ford Focus RS.
The model has steadily
For a normal passenger car, tires of less than 50 aspect ratio
gained in power, but and/or less than 90mm sidewall height showing above the
also in size and weight rim can be regarded as potentially problematic with regard to
ride comfort, rim damage on curbs/potholes, reduced steering
aligning torque (less pneumatic trail), worse tracking stability,
and inferior hydroplaning resistance, especially when part worn.
Lower-profile tires also tend to have higher speed ratings and
potentially harder compounds, the percentage of natural latex
being the critical element in achieving low-temperature grip.
Another issue is the increased unsprung mass that naturally
follows larger diameter wheels, a common source of continuous
8-12Hz ride shake and ‘dither’, one of the most infuriating
characteristics within the cabin which usually involves
powertrain modes as well. Fidgety, restless body motion
is commonly found these days, as well as high-frequency
vibration, and increased sensitivity to tire temperatures. Very
low-speed rolling comfort may not necessarily suffer due to
the increased unsprung mass, but higher vertical tire stiffness
nearly always leads to losses in comfort and more road noise,
while softening shorter tire sidewalls to compensate usually
results in all kinds of steering and transient handling issues.
Yet another source of harshness can be the dynamically
stiffening effect of excessive anti-dive strut geometries pulling
the front wheel centers mechanically forward on bumps.
Chassis development then leads in the direction of softer
longitudinal stiffness bushings and reduced damping forces
to compensate, and thence to yet another unsatisfactory
compromise for the unfortunate development engineer.
SHOOT THE ENGINEER
It is a universal truth that at some point management has to
‘shoot the engineers’ and put the car into production,
“Fidgety, restless body.
motion is commonly.
found. these days, as well as.
high-frequency vibration”..
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
a lack of comfort usually being the burgeoning issue, which,
as ever, leaves damper valving the last thing that can be
changed before the first cars go down the line. It is at this
point that the smallest change in damping, tire construction
or compliance can have a significant effect on the car. On
premium cars, electronically controlled damping/roll control
systems like Tenneco H2 and Acocar have their place, but it is
still the well-proven Bilstein Damptronic and Sachs equivalent
systems that are production favorites in the executive class.
Raising ride heights on SUVs that are based on existing
B, C, and D class platforms without careful consideration
of suspension link angles will have further implications on
comfort. High-sided vehicles will welcome the higher roll
centers that will help prop the body up when cornering,
but that approach inevitably entails increased track and/
or camber change, and consequently a higher vertical thrust
component with bump inputs on all road surfaces, potentially
adversely affecting road surface noise and causing inferior
lateral stability on single wheel inputs. Strut roll centers are
especially unstable with ride height change. Higher centers of
gravity also dictate thicker anti-roll bars, which rarely enhance
ride comfort, due to the resulting increase in single wheel
bump stiffness.
Concerning cost, it has been a shock to discover the £163
(US$215) retail cost of the current 215/55-17 Michelin Primacy
tire for the Focus, versus the previous model’s £100 (US$132)
205/55-16 Michelin Primacy. It is true that on some models
the earlier tire can be specified (with some resistance from
sales people), but from experience it feels that the suspension
tuning has now been revised to suit the fatter rubber. The
more visually attractive and expensive +1 or even +2 wheel and
tire options are happily accepted by the customer, not knowing
the potential penalty in comfort, cost, noise and winter grip.
For super-hot versions of any model, the argument for
housing the biggest possible brakes holds good, otherwise the
excessively large diameter wheels cannot be justified, other
than by the styling and marketing departments. VW seems
less style driven and VDi notes that only the larger D-segment
Passatt uses the 17in Focus-size rubber, while the standard
Golf sticks with a 16in fitment and ideal 205/55 profile tire.
In summary, I believe that grip is not the problem, even
with 205 section tires fitted to a C-class car, whereas ride
comfort, road noise and winter grip handling predictability
remain the issues. At least we are not dealing here with
the latest UK specification BMW 3-Series range still fitted
with runflat tires, where known and technically competent
potential customers were so dismayed by the ride harshness
displayed on demonstration that they opted to seek their
motoring satisfaction elsewhere.
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22 INTERVIEW

›
Electronic stability control (ESC) is taken for granted
today. Now fitted to millions of cars globally, it is
recognized as the biggest advancement in vehicle
safety since the seatbelt. But few know that the idea itself
came about literally by accident, and that the patents for
the technology were given free to suppliers – just as Volvo
gave away its rights to the three-point seatbelt in the
1960s and didn’t charge other manufacturers one cent
for its use.
Mercedes-Benz initially gave away the intellectual
property of ESC to numerous suppliers to expedite the
rollout of the technology and dramatically reduce its
cost. But it had the net effect of saving countless lives;
the hidden safety net working in the background without
motorists even realizing it.
It was February 1989 when a young Mercedes engineer,
Frank Werner-Mohn, first came up with the idea of ESC,
while sitting in a ditch after skidding off an icy road in
the remote far north of Sweden. He and his colleagues
in a convoy of W124 Mercedes-Benzes were doing some
validation testing for a model-year change. Anti-lock
brakes were still a relatively new technology and, as
readers of this magazine will know, icy roads are ideal
for testing such systems.
Given that cellular phones were still an emerging
technology, it took some time to summon help from a tow
truck in the nearby town. It was while waiting in sub-zero
temperatures for his car to be plucked from the snow that
Werner-Mohn had the idea, as he relived the incident in
his head, wondering how he ended up in such a spot.
“I was very embarrassed. I made a mistake, but how did
this happen?” recalls Werner-Mohn. “But I feel I did not do
anything wrong. It was a straight road, the car hit ice and
I skidded off the road. Luckily for me, I did not hit a tree.”

Stable influence
VDI returns to the birthplace of stability control and meets Frank Werner-Mohn,
the man who invented ESC literally by accident 28 years ago
WORDS BY JOSHUA DOWLING

ABOVE: The crash in

February 1989 that
has led to the saving
of countless lives
ever since

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 INTERVIEW 23

“It was while waiting in sub-zero

temperatures for his car to be
plucked from the snow that
Werner-Mohn had the idea”

Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

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Werner-Mohn then wondered what would happen if
a gyro sensor could be fitted to the car, to detect a
skid by somehow linking it to the steering sensor and
wheel sensors.
Could the car then apply the brakes individually – using
the then-newly developed anti-lock brake system – to
prevent a skid or, at the very least, minimize the yaw
movement of the car?
It’s sounds straightforward now, but back then it was
a revelation.
PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE
Once back at headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, Werner-
Mohn and a small group of his engineering colleagues were
given permission to build a prototype to test their theory.
Some engineering colleagues outside his inner circle
originally mocked the idea, because it required so many
parts of the car to ‘talk’ to each other.
Indeed, Werner-Mohn attributes the success of the
program to his boss giving him and his small team 12
months to test and/or prove the theory. “I am grateful
for this because we could go away and experiment and
prove this could work,” says Werner-Mohn. “Without this
“Without this brave move by management to
allow us to explore this idea that some people
thought was crazy, we might not have invented it”.
BELOW: Every model in the
Mercedes-Benz range has ESC
INTERVIEW 25
ABOVE: In 1989 locals in Arjeplog
had to watch out for elks running
across the road – and for Werner-
Mohn skidding off it
brave move by management to allow us to explore this idea
that some people thought was crazy, we might not have
invented it.”
The first challenge was to find a gyro sensor that
could measure sideways movement. So they went to a toy
shop and bought a remote control helicopter – and then
dismantled it to get what was at the time a relatively
precious part, the gyro sensor.
Eventually they proved the theory could work, albeit in
a clunky fashion and they quickly discovered they needed
a gyro sensor with faster processing speeds. So they then
sourced one from a scud missile – minus the warhead of
course – to make a more durable prototype for the test
car. With a much faster processing gyro sensor, the system
could be finessed. Cost was still an issue, of course, but
this could be resolved later.
Management allowed the project to continue another
12 months because they could see that progress was
being made. In March 1991 – after two years of intensive
development – the technology was given the green light
to go into production. The decision came quickly, after
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
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“By pure coincidence, a small team of Bosch
engineers were also working with the idea
of gyro sensors, wheel sensors and
anti-lock brakes to tame a car”
one of the top Mercedes executives, who was known to
be timid behind the wheel, was almost as fast as the
company’s professional test drivers around an ice lake
obstacle course.
With the technology switched off, the novice barely
made it past the first turn without skidding off course.
But with the ESC technology active, he was able to
complete the course almost as quickly, but more
importantly, he drove more confidently.
“Once they saw this technology could safely prevent a
skid while taking a corner, the board approved it at once,”
says Werner-Mohn. “At the time, this was a revelation.”
A MEETING OF MINDS
Mercedes still had the issue of cost to overcome. It did
not want to manufacture the technology, so it figured the
best solution was to offer it to suppliers who could mass-
produce it. Mercedes would get it first, but allow suppliers
to sell it to rivals after an initial period of exclusivity.
Werner-Mohn tells the story of senior Mercedes
engineering executives having a catch-up in Sweden the
night before they were about to show Bosch engineers
their new invention.
“I have an invention that your company does not
have,” one Benz executive boasted to a counterpart at
Bosch, questioning why the long-standing supplier had
not thought of a similar idea earlier.
In fact, Bosch was close to coming up with ESC as well.
By pure coincidence, a small team of Bosch engineers were
also working with the idea of gyro sensors, wheel sensors
and anti-lock brakes to tame a car.
However, the Bosch system was only designed to work
once the brakes were applied in an emergency stop, to
prevent a skid as part of the ABS system.
INTERVIEW 27
ABOVE: The idea of ESC was
conceived in Arjeplog, and is still
tested extensively in the area
RIGHT: Werner-Mohn makes
controlling a snowy slide look
easy – and he has helped make it
much easier than it was in 1989
The genius behind Werner-Mohn’s invention was that his
ESC system monitored car behavior all the time, even when
the brakes weren’t applied. It was this critical difference
that made Werner-Mohn’s design such a piece of life-
saving technology. And why his name is on the patents
that Mercedes filed.
The next day, Mercedes demonstrated its ESC system
on ice to colleagues at Bosch, and both giants of the
automotive industry realized what they had in front
of them.
ELK AND SAFETY
Originally the technology was installed in Mercedes’s
S-Class flagship limousine in 1995 – the S-Class has been
the first to feature many safety technologies over the years
– but Mercedes wanted Bosch to take over responsibility
for producing the technology at a more affordable level.
But then another twist of fate happened. In 1997
Swedish technical magazine, Teknikens Varld, flipped
Mercedes’s new A-Class hatchback during a swerve-and-
avoid ‘elk test’. Mercedes responded by fitting its new
stability control technology – previously reserved for its
flagship model – to its cheapest car.
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
28 INTERVIEW

An even greater legacy

Frank Werner-Mohn is due to retire As someone who loves driving,
by the end of 2017 after 35 years Werner-Mohn understands why
with Mercedes-Benz. His final project some people may be concerned
is working with his fellow engineers about control being taken away
on autonomous car technology that from the driver.
we won’t see for years to come. “The driver should always be in
Indeed, the stability control that control but, as with stability control,
Werner-Mohn and his colleagues there will be systems that keep you
invented has formed the basis for safe without the driver knowing,”
future autonomous car technology. he says.
This forced the technology to be shared with more Without this technology it would “Without technology, we would
suppliers, to further reduce cost. All this had the net impossible to control the car not save as many lives as we have
autonomously in an emergency. already today.”
effect of making ESC affordable for all Benz models; over
the coming decade it was eventually rolled out across the
entire range… and on the cars of countless rivals.
“We thank the journalist because it expedited the
roll-out of our technology,” says Werner-Mohn.
At the time, though, Werner-Mohn had mixed emotions
about his invention being handed over. “In my heart I was
wounded because it was my invention and it was given
away,” he says. “But of course I now see the best decision
was to make it available to everyone, to spread it out to
all cars.”

BACK TO THE SCENE OF THE SPIN

Fast forward to February 2017, 28 years after Werner-Mohn
had his brainwave, and we are sharing a car with him,
trying to find the anonymous stretch of road that changed
the course of car safety.
We meet at Arjeplog, the village not far from the Arctic
Circle upon which the car industry descends each winter
to test ESC and other systems on prototype cars. We head
southwest about 190 miles (300km) which, normally,
would take about three hours. But because conditions are
icy, the roads are narrow, and visibility is limited by the
weather and the convoys of trucks throwing up spray, it
takes us close to six hours to get there.
Finding the town was the easy part; finding the exact
spot where the crash happened in 1989 would require
help. The tree-lined roads in this part of Sweden all look
the same.
Werner-Mohn finds the local tow company (there’s only
one), but it has changed hands since he was plucked from
the snow all those years ago.
But being a small town it didn’t take long to find
Tommy who, as a young lad, went to work with his dad
that day to go and retrieve some fancy new Mercedes.
Tommy’s father has since passed away, but the photos
we show him (of him and his dad recovering Werner-
Mohn’s W124) trigger his memory of the incident. Through
ABOVE: Werner-Mohn with
the original sketches of his
groundbreaking idea
BELOW: This part of the road is
unremarkable for the Arjeplog
area, but it has major significance
for Werner-Mohn, and for
automotive history
a mix of German, English and Swedish, he figures out we
want to be taken to the exact same spot where the crash
happened. We head south out of town about 2.5 miles
(4km) and Tommy pulls over on the side of a long straight
stretch of road. It could be anywhere in Sweden, so
familiar is the scenery.
The pavement has clearly been resealed a few times
since 1989, and the trees have been cleared further away
from the roadside. But Tommy is adamant this is the place.
The men get out of their cars and hug awkwardly in their
large snow jackets. We explain to Tommy what that 1989
crash led to: the invention of ESC, which also happens to
be standard equipment on his Volvo.
Werner-Mohn is moved; this is the first time he has been
back to this place. He is still a little embarrassed about
the crash, even after 28 years. But without his fateful
mishap, how many lives would not have been saved?

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

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215x275mm_3mm_bleed.indd 1 2017. 10. 25. 8:12

30 DRIFT DYNAMICS

Leading Formula Drift team Papadakis Racing provides an

insight on how to go fast, sideways in an RWD Toyota Corolla iM
WORDS BY GRAHAM HEEPS

Grip to slip

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 DRIFT DYNAMICS 31

›
Drifting is unlike traditional forms of motorsport in
many respects. But despite appearances, grip is just
as important in drifting as it is in any other race series.
“We want a lot of rear grip to give us speed around the
track,” explains Stephan Papadakis, team principal and car
builder at Formula Drift team Papadakis Racing. “People think
we want to reduce grip but it’s counterintuitive – we have the
power to keep the rear wheels spinning and the driver can use
the throttle to reduce traction by overspeeding the tires. That
way, if we’re coming into a decreasing radius turn, you have
the grip to slow down, turn in, and get to the white line. If
you’re chasing somebody in the tandem competition you can
get right up to them, stay close and show your dominance.
Likewise if you’re leading, you have the speed to make it hard
for the chasing car to get close to you.”
One of the top teams in the US-based Pro Championship,
California-based Papadakis Racing built a 1,000bhp Toyota
Corolla iM for the 2017 season. The team was able to call
on experience of its previous vehicle, an RWD Scion tC, to
speed the build process, with many parts – including major
suspension assemblies – carried straight over.
The front strut suspension is heavily modified to create
space for a steering angle of up to 65°, around double that
of a standard iM.
“You’re not allowed to modify the frame rails for clearance,
which is why you see very wide front ends on these drift cars,

The Corolla iM’s

handbrake is run on a
separate circuit with its
own calipers and different
pads to provide an
additional means of
adjusting the drift angle

Annual Showcase 2018 •VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

32 DRIFT DYNAMICS
making clearance for the tires to turn that
much,” says Papadakis. “We then design and
make control arms in-house that have tons of
space for the tire to clear.
suspension design
“The suspension geometry is also unique. mentality and come up
You’re coming around a left-hand turn, but with fresh ideas that
turning to the right every time, including on
entry – you’re already countersteering as the typically aren’t used in
turn-in happens, through driver technique or
setup. Over the past 12 years, we’ve been able
to get out of the traditional suspension design
mentality and come up with fresh ideas that
typically aren’t used in any other form of motorsport.
“For example, initially we were using a lot of front castor,
so that the car had a lot of feedback for the driver. But when
you’re countersteering with a lot of castor, the front tire has
very little tread on the ground, so the trend now is to run a
lot more trail so that you get the feel but the tire stays flatter.
“We also ran very stiff front sway bars, but soft in the rear
to get a lot of rear grip. We tend not to use front sway bars
anymore; instead we fix it with roll center height and even
limited-droop suspension. That way, when you countersteer,
the trailing front tire can come off the ground and transfer
more weight to the diagonally opposite rear wheel.”
These changes have gone hand in hand with tire
development and the resulting increase in mechanical grip.
Now that there’s less need to add rear grip by other means,
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
Tech spec
Papadakis Racing Toyota Corolla iM
Length: 2,591mm (102in)
Width: 2,007mm (79in)
Height: 1,499mm (59in)
Suspension: MacPherson strut (front),
modified five-link (rear) with sway bar
“We’ve been Springs/dampers: RS-R
Steering: Supra hydraulic PAS; KRC 1,600psi
able to get out steering pump
of the traditional Brakes: Alcon
Wheels: Motegi Technomesh Drift 17x9J
(front), 18x10J (rear)
Tires: Nexen N’fera SUR4 245-40 R17 (front),
275/40 R18 (rear)
any other form of
the cars are easier to drive, with better balance
motorsport” and more grip across the full range of drift angles,
instead of understeer at low steering/drift angles
– during crossovers, for example.
Damping remains a matter of driver preference, however.
Papadakis’s car typically runs stiffer than some of its rivals,
although not as stiff as in the past.
“I think that a car that doesn’t roll so much is more
controllable for the driver,” he offers. “We might be giving up
some ultimate grip but it makes it easier, more forgiving to
drive. In tandem, when you might have to slow down or speed
up, make split-second decisions, having a car that’s more
responsive is more important than one that has ultimate grip.”
TOP: A stiffer rear The independent rear end is a modified version of the
spring is used on a standard iM’s five-link, trailing-arm setup. Papadakis adds a
banked track to stop
custom Speedway sway bar and RS-R coilovers to suspend a
the outside corner
bottoming; more late-model Supra rear axle. The configuration offers decent
compliance is required camber gain – around 0.5° per inch of suspension travel –
on bumpy tracks given the need to maximize the rear contact patch in drifting.
Static rear camber and anti-squat can be adjusted depending
ABOVE: Stephan on the ride height of the car. Other tuning parameters include
Papadakis, team
principal and car
cross-section thickness and hole position of the sway bar,
builder, Papadakis spring rates and damping. At the front, adding toe-in can
Racing replicate the effect of Ackermann, which is otherwise limited
by the high steering angles.
LEFT: Minimum weights Tire pressures are the final major tuning tool. The fronts will
are dependent on rear
run at 25-30psi, but the rears might go as low as 12psi. It’s not
tire size; the iM’s Nexen
275/40 R18s dictate the unknown for debeading to cost someone the round victory.
car’s 2,900 lb minimum “It’s all in the name of trying to put as much rubber on the
ground as possible,” says Papadakis. “As you go really low with
the tire it tends to cup, but because we’re dealing with such
high tire speeds the centrifugal force tends to flatten it out.
We’re doing stuff that the tire company says shouldn’t
work – yet the lap speed and the grip says it does.”
 FROM THE PUBLISHER OF VEHICLE DYNAMICS INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

19-20 June, 2018

KÖLN MESSE, COLOGNE, GERMANY

Nine streams, over 250 speakers, PLUS meet

the companies shaping the future of transportation
in our exhibitor zone!

www.thefutureoftransport.com
34 DYNAMICS TECHNOLOGY

June
October 2017
2017
Messe Stuttgart, Germany
Novi, Michigan, USA Automotive Testing Expo
Automotive Testing Expo Europe
North America

A GPS sensor was launched by Suchy Data

Dewetron showcased a fully instrumented
test vehicle featuring the compact
DEWE2-A4 measurement system, which
can be mounted directly in a vehicle to
record analog signals, multiple streams
of CANbus data, and GPS position and
speed, all fully synchronized.
Systems that can not only use GPS signals,
but can also lock onto the GLONASS
system. Called the xPro GPS sensor, the
unit has logging capabilities, built-in
inertial and altimeter sensors, and
a data rate of 10/20Hz.

Tools of the
dynamics trade
A range of new testing technologies can help vehicle dynamics engineers
in their development programs. These technologies, all revealed at the Automotive Testing
Expo events around the globe this year, could just create an engineering advantage…

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 DYNAMICS TECHNOLOGY 35

March
2017

January
2018 Seoul, Korea
Automotive Testing
Expo Korea
Southern Hemisphere Proving
Ground (SHPG) revealed its new
unique autonomous vehicle/ADAS
winter-testing facility. The
high-tech offering will feature
purpose-built roads, intersections,
and traffic control systems – and
snowmaking capability.

Chennai, India
Automotive Testing
Expo India

MTS has chosen this event to debut

a range of durability-capable
Model 320 ePost tire-coupled
road simulators that meet the
requirements of passenger car
and truck test applications,
including NVH, durability, buzz,
squeak and rattle, and in-line
production quality.

Annual Showcase 2018 •VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

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Advanced vehicle driving simulator
At the 14th annual Automotive Testing Expo North America
in Novi, Michigan, in October, AB Dynamics was displaying
a number of innovations within its range of ADAS test products.
Its latest development, Launchpad, consists of a compact
platform designed to carry vulnerable road user targets,
including pedestrians, cyclists and moped dummies. With
a maximum speed of 31mph (50km/h) and full path-following
capability, positioning is synchronized with the test vehicle.
The company also demonstrated its advanced vehicle driving
simulator, which has been specially designed to help vehicle
manufacturers reduce development time and costs.
Industry-standard testing
technology
Low-cost speed sensor
Designed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering,
AB Dynamics’ brand-new driver-in-the-loop simulator further
expands the company’s offerings to the automotive testing
marketplace. Launched in June at Automotive Testing Expo
Europe in Stuttgart, Germany, alongside other systems, the range
of products includes robot controllers with software features
such as improved data capture and advanced path-following
capability; steering actuators optimized to minimize mass
inertia; and the company’s guided soft target (GST), which
has become an industry standard for both development
and evaluation of ADAS technologies.
Large water-cooled shaker
Sometimes size really does matter, and IMV’s
water-cooled shaker is a prime example. This
machine is capable of 3in (76.2mm) peak-peak stroke
and has a frequency of up to 2,000Hz (up to 3,000Hz
in case of no load) with a rated force of 350kN
without lowering resonance frequency, a
specification that can enlarge the testing scope and
respond to demand for higher test specifications.
This shaker, which was launched at Automotive
Testing Expo North America, can perform a
maximum of 3.5m/s shock velocity testing, which
is said to be impossible with conventional shakers.
DYNAMICS TECHNOLOGY 37
Total ADAS testing solution
Dewetron, a specialist in complete The DEWE2-A4 is mounted directly
testing solutions for vehicle in the vehicle and is suitable for
dynamics and ADAS, showcased mobile applications. It records
its fully instrumented test vehicle analog signals, multiple streams of
at Automotive Testing Expo
North America. The car featured
CANbus data, and GPS position and
speed, all fully synchronized. Trion
a Dewetron DEWE2-A4 measurement modules are available for voltage,
system, a GeneSys GPS/gyro accelerometers, strain gauges,
sensor, a Stahle driving robot for voltage, current, IEPE, and more,
autonomous measurements, and with 16- or 24-bit resolution and
a DSD ultraflat overrunable robot sample rates up to 2MS/s.
for experimental ADAS testing (UFO). The DEWE2-A4 features a
removable SSD for data storage,
and a built-in high-resolution
display. A wide-ranging DC input
is compatible with in-vehicle power,
and a buffer battery backup provides
protection during engine cranking
and other power interruptions, up
to several minutes in duration.
The only way to measure speed precisely is with a GPS sensor,
and the latest offering from Suchy Data Systems is not only able
to use GPS signals, but can lock onto the GLONASS system. The
xPro GPS sensor, revealed at Automotive Testing Expo Europe,
boasts logging capabilities and built-in inertial and altimeter
sensors. With a data rate of 10/20Hz and CAN, USB, analog,
frequency and alarm contact interfaces, engineers are able to
measure speeds from 0-200km/h (0-124mph) with minimal effort.
New winter test facility
In March, details of a unique autonomous Furthermore, snowmaking capability is
vehicle/ADAS winter-testing facility were a unique area of expertise where SHPG has
unveiled at Southern Hemisphere Proving invested in technology and infrastructure
Ground’s (SHPG) booth at Automotive that will enable – under the right weather
Testing Expo Korea in Seoul. The final conditions – snow and storm-like
design for the snow city facility was conditions to be simulated over snow city
shown, following a rigorous research if customers request it. Road signage,
traffic signals and street façades are also
process in which SHPG consulted with New
in the design phase.
Zealand’s leading telecommunications,
road and infrastructure experts.
Once ready, the new facility will offer
state-of-the-art technology, including
a minimum of 4G data communication,
GPS satellite tracking, fiber-optic and
wireless networking, purpose-built roads,
intersections, and traffic control systems.
Annual Showcase 2018 •VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
38 DYNAMICS TECHNOLOGY

Rotary actuators for torsion tests

For engineers who require continuous torsion testing with high
dynamics or something for reliable semi-dynamic testing,
Hense Systemtechnik has two rotary actuators designed
specifically for modern torsion test stand technology. Launched
at Automotive Testing Expo Europe, the HSH is based on the
rotary vane principle with the driveshaft suspended in Tire footprint pressure
hydrostatic bearings, guaranteeing an axial and radial
centering of the shaft on a film of oil. This also minimizes
measurement
the internal friction, reduces wear-related failure,
Designed to measure large tire footprints at a high resolution,
and is ideal for high dynamic torsion testing.
CrossDrive is the latest tire footprint pressure measurement
Meanwhile, the HSS, which has a driveshaft
solution from Tekscan. A fully integrated and multipurpose
suspended in special coated friction
system, CrossDrive features 250,000 sensing elements over
bearings and guarantees
a 508 x 508mm (20 x 20in) area, which allows for the
low wear, is aimed at
measurement of car and truck tire footprints. The ruggedized
semi-dynamic testing.
housing is designed to handle harsh environments, allowing
the system to collect footprint pressure data while the tire
is experiencing shear forces from acceleration, deceleration,
toe and camber. Furthermore, intuitive application-specific
graphing and image analysis software enables quantitative
and qualitative analysis of the tire footprint. This system
was launched at Automotive Testing Expo North America.

Fancy trying out the latest technologies
ahead of your competitors? On January
10-12, 2018, visitors to Automotive
Testing Expo India at the Chennai Trade
Centre can see more than 115 exhibitors
from over 20 countries showing the very
latest test and development technologies
Compact onboard electronics unit
DTI (digital transducer interface) technology, which enables
high-reliability, high-speed data capture and analysis, is now
available for dynamics and durability testing. Kistler’s KiRoad
Performance system is advancing road load data acquisition
thanks to its DTI technology. It enables users to configure RoaDyn
wheel force transducers quickly and reliably. As well as ensuring
that measurement data is processed reliably, this mobile control
unit supports wireless operation of wheel force measurement
systems on the vehicle and, in future, on the test bench as well.

and services. Here is just a small taste of

the expected technology launches… Tire-coupled road simulator
Meeting the requirements of vehicle test applications, including
NVH, durability, buzz, squeak and rattle, and in-line production
High-precision GPS system quality, MTS will debut a line of durability-capable Model 320
ePost tire-coupled road simulators. Expanding the application
systems such as AEB or lane deviation, scope of the electrically actuated segment of its four-poster
Designed to work alongside exist-
as well as more conventional brake Model 320 portfolio, the ePost systems employ linear electric
ing measurement products from Race
testing and chassis dynamics actuators. Optimized for rigorous durability drive files, they
Technology, the company’s new GPS2
applications. External modules feature lightweight armatures with liquid cooling and an
high-precision GPS system provides
are available to give additional advanced bearing system in order to maximize actuator life.
improved absolute position accuracy
down to a precision of 2cm (0.8in), thermocouple and analog inputs.
either by using a local base station or by
using corrections received over a GSM
telephone network. Also due for display,
the CATS-INS (Complete Automotive
Test System) is a full vehicle dynamics
measurement system designed to
provide outstanding accuracy for brake
testing and general chassis dynamics
measurement. The combination of these
two innovations creates a low-cost
system for accurate evaluation and
end-of-line testing of various driver aid

www.testing-expo.com/india
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
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… plug in and measure. With the DTI (Digital Transducer Interface) technology, our
customers discover a new dimension of efficiency for vehicle testing. The digitalization
of the signal and the need for just a single cable for data, synchronization, configuration
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www.kistler.com
40 TWO MINUTES WITH...

…Robert Taylor, senior engineer, vehicle measurement, Millbrook

“What only a few years ago seemed cutting edge and destined only for the most
expensive passenger vehicles has now become commonplace”

›
As senior engineer for the vehicle measurement activities
at Millbrook Group, Robert Taylor is an expert on
automotive development trends and technologies. He
took some time out of his schedule to share his thoughts…

HOW IS THE SCOPE OF YOUR WORK CHANGING AND HOW

ARE YOU ADAPTING?
Millbrook is increasingly being asked to assist customers
with the development and certification of advanced driver
assistance systems [ADAS], as the technologies continue to
become more sophisticated and are increasingly integrated
into more and more vehicles. What only a few years ago
seemed cutting edge and destined only for the most expensive
passenger vehicles has now become commonplace and is found
across the passenger car, LCV, HGV and bus sectors.

WHAT SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES ARE BECOMING

INCREASINGLY TESTED?
The primary ADAS technologies most commonly in demand
for testing include autonomous emergency braking (AEB),
active cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep
assist systems, blind spot recognition, and junction and traffic
crossing assist. There are other systems within the ADAS test
portfolio that are aimed at autonomous driving, including
systems such as autopilots and driver monitoring. We also have
capabilities to test various park assist systems and platooning
of vehicles, among others.

DOES THIS PRESENT ANY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES FOR

MILLBROOK?
Yes. For a leading independent facility like Millbrook, the
ability to be able to offer safe and effective test solutions
for all new systems is a primary commercial objective. ADAS
technologies have very varied test equipment and test track/
environment requirements. There is a wide range of test
standards to meet, from ISO to NHTSA and Euro NCAP, as well
as other EU/ECE standards and OEM-specific development and
sign-off procedures. Millbrook is best known for its test tracks,
which are well suited for testing a variety of connected and
autonomous vehicle technologies; in order to ensure that
customers have access to the latest test equipment and best
expertise, Millbrook is investing heavily across the business
in people and facilities.
WHY IS DEMAND FOR ADAS TESTING INCREASING AT
SUCH A RATE?
Currently, although many of the systems are commonplace in
high-end passenger vehicles, they are less commonly found
in the HGV and bus sectors. It is highly likely that some ADAS
ABOVE: Millbrook will soon be mandated in certain areas of public transport,
Proving Ground in
thus increasing the test requirements in these sectors. In a
the UK features
a combination of similar way to the introduction of ABS and ESC over a number
(31 miles) 50km of of years, which gradually led to them becoming regulatory
tracks suitable for requirements, systems such as AEB are likely to follow suit in
virtually every type years to come.
of vehicle test
ASIDE FROM THE TEST TRACKS AND SEMI-CONTROLLED
ENVIRONMENTS, WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY IS REQUIRED TO SATISFY THE NEEDS OF
INDUSTRY?
The investment in instrumentation is significant, and each
technology has a very specific set of requirements that is
too lengthy to list here! However, precision inertial and
GPS navigation systems are absolutely core to a lot of the

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 TWO MINUTES WITH... 41

technology, and alongside a base station we are able to

achieve a GPS accuracy of 1cm. Wireless communication
links between instrumentation installed within test
vehicles and soft targets ensure absolute precision when
distances between objects is critical.
We obviously need to have soft vehicle targets,
which allow contact with the test vehicle without
causing damage. These targets can be used statically or
dynamically through the use of towing rigs or guided soft
targets. Soft targets currently include cars, adult and child
pedestrians with articulating limbs, and cyclists, and will
ABOVE: The 0.3-mile include motorbikes and animals in the future.
(0.5km) high/ The instrumentation we use allows the customer to
constant speed circuit incorporate any measurable parameter along with the
enables vehicles to be requirements of the specific ADAS test. This enables our
simultaneously tested
at differing speeds
customers to conduct in-depth development of their
in safety ADAS systems, while also gathering data on additional
parameters, all within the same data acquisition software.
LEFT: The famous We also have the capability to link video to our data
4-mile (6.5km) Hill acquisition software, so the link between GPS positioning
Route simulates
on the data can be seen, allowing any optical warnings
challenging European
roads and is a good displayed by the vehicle to be recorded.
test of powertrains,
transmissions, WHICH FACILITIES AT MILLBROOK ARE MOST
dynamics, braking RELEVANT TO ADAS TESTING?
and active systems Aside from our people, the test tracks are our biggest
asset. The mile-long straight, the high-speed circuit, and
the steering and dynamics pads are the most adaptable
facilities for ADAS testing, although many of our other
tracks, such as the hill route and city course, can come
into play too. Additionally, our expertise and equipment
can be deployed in other locations, so we have an
incredibly adaptable offering for our customers.

To learn more from Millbrook,

visit www.ukimediaevents.com/info/vdm ref. 001

Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

42 TWO MINUTES WITH...

Pierre-Olivier Vittet from Jtekt’s steering division asks Paolo Sacchettini

from the company’s driveline division about the benefits of Torsen systems
“The sporty driver loves this unmistakable feeling given by the Torsen. It feels like
the tires grow claws and stubbornly grip the road. It’s rather addictive”

›
A Torsen is a ‘torque-sensing’ LSD – hence the name ‘Tor-
sen’. This means the LSD can generate a certain torque ABOVE LEFT: Paolo
Sacchettini
transfer through internal frictional forces, which is both
proportional to the input torque, and is instantaneous and ABOVE RIGHT: Pierre-
anticipative in the case of wheel slip. This purely mechanical Olivier Vittet
device operates smoothly, and is compatible with, and even
works in synergy with, traction and trajectory control systems, RIGHT: The Torsen
system, as integrated
with a sensation of direct throttle controllability. To find out
into an Audi Q7
the latest advances, Pierre-Olivier Vittet, sales administration transfer case
and marketing manager at Jtekt, spoke to Paolo Sacchettini,
the company’s foremost expert in torque management
products.

WHAT DIFFERENT TORSEN TYPES ARE ON THE MARKET?

The first Torsen – Type A – is based on a 1954 patent by
Vernon Gleasman, which hit the market in the early 1980s.
This is a peculiar design for rear diff carriers and gearboxes
and runs with hypoid oil. The Type B developed in the early
1990s is a more prosaic yet adequate parallel axis design
suitable for different kinds of gearboxes and transfer cases
with any type of gearbox oil. By the end of the 1990s, the
innovative epicyclic gearing-based Type C followed, with a
further step toward robustness and flexibility, providing for
an asymmetric torque split ratio between front and rear axles.
This Torsen Type C eventually became the mainstream center
differential in several Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley,
Land Rover and Toyota/Lexus vehicle models. The Twin Diff –
a particular Type C application – was developed for Alfa Romeo
at the start of the new millennium as a double differential in
one single housing, offering a considerable weight advantage
over AWD hang-on systems with a controlled clutch. More during normal driving, the driver can rely on premium
recently, Type C has been further optimized in functionality, performance as soon as the going gets even slightly rough.
robustness and weight with the Csm (smart modular) type. It is precisely at the brink of the vehicle losing traction
that the Torsen shows its sheer ability to sense this
WHERE IS THE TORSEN TECHNOLOGY APPLIED AND WHY? embryonic situation – like no sensor would be able to – and
A Torsen LSD is typically applied to powerful cars or vehicles instantaneously react with torque transfers to avoid loss
with superior off-road capabilities, such as all-wheel-drive of grip.
SUVs. Its high level of integration offers a cost-effective yet
superlative way to improve the vehicle’s overall performance … AND FOR SPORTY DRIVING?
and driving dynamics assets, while making traction and The sporty driver loves this unmistakable feeling given by
trajectory control systems even more effective and refined. the Torsen. It feels like the tires grow claws and stubbornly
A Torsen gives increased overall traction and driving grip the road, following the intended trajectory with poised
dynamics performance: while it is meant to be unnoticeable determination. It is a rather addictive sensation.

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 TWO MINUTES WITH... 43

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SYNERGIES BETWEEN TORSEN

AND THE OTHER DYNAMICS SYSTEMS IN THE VEHICLE ?
For achieving perfection, the first step is to tune the tire
chassis suspension with the Torsen in the equation so high
performance is achieved without trade-offs. Any attempt
to just add an optional LSD without dedicated suspension
setting will have a lot of shortcomings. Secondly, the
traction and trajectory control systems must be fine-tuned
for proper functional interaction: put simply, the Torsen will
spontaneously and seamlessly do the initial torque transfer,
so the brake interventions kick in less often, at a later point,
and less intrusively, thanks to the much lower braking torque
required. The cumulative reduction in wasted energy is
immense, dramatically improving the overall efficiency,
while also giving a greater feeling of smoothness.

HOW DOES THE TORSEN AND STEERING SYNERGY WORK?

The typical interaction between a front Torsen LSD and the
steering is so-called ‘torque steer’. As soon as the Torsen biases
the torque, a winding-up steering torque is generated by the
longitudinal tire left-right ground-force difference, multiplied
by the front suspension’s kingpin offsets. While some might
be thrilled by this lively steering feel on bumpy roads and
in corners, most drivers will not enjoy such sudden inputs
in steering feedback. To solve this, Jtekt has developed an
effective EPS control strategy able to eliminate the torque
steer, so the Torsen advantages can be fully enjoyed in a
relaxed manner focusing on effective driving without any
frantic steering behavior.

WHY IS A RELATIVELY SIMPLE MECHANICAL TORSEN
STILL COMPETITIVE AGAINST SOPHISTICATED
ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SYSTEMS?
The Torsen LSD is a robust mechanical device in its own
right; a secret and precious ally interacting in impressive
synergy with the traction and trajectory control systems. High
levels of performance and overall functionality are achieved
for an efficient cost and optimized size and weight. Other
more complex systems with electronic controls (torque on
demand or torque vectoring) – featuring significantly more
components – are larger in size and heavier in weight, with
high development, hardware and software costs, for a not
necessarily all-around better result. The choice may be down
to a car maker’s particular philosophy, targets, platform sharing
and marketing strategies. A Torsen differential still remains a
highly competitive and simple system with strong integration
and synergy capabilities, even for motor-driven axles.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A TORSEN IN TERMS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS AND EFFICIENCY?
The Torsen system does not consume any electric power
whatsoever. Compact in size and weight, it also allows for its
surrounding components to be size/weight optimized. The full
compatibility with any type of lubricant, including the most
recent low-viscosity developments, is another strong asset.
Moreover, with the Torsen self-centering capabilities for a
driven axle, the front and rear static toe-in meant for straight-
line driving steering centering may be reduced, thereby
ABOVE: Torsen decreasing tire frictional losses and wear over high mileages.
systems offer Also, kilowatt-consuming wheelspin is eliminated in most
advantages in terms
of vehicle weight and
cases, minimizing the required brake interventions and relative
driving pleasure accumulated loss of energy. The Torsen diff has no power losses
in most operating conditions, as its frictional surfaces remain
motionless most of the time – except, for instance, during
normal cornering, where the short transient speed difference
only accumulates negligible frictional energy waste, much less
than the increased wheel-slip power losses it eradicates.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY?
Different development directions are constantly being
investigated, including electronic controls and torque vectoring
assets, and with permanent endeavor to further reduce size
and cost, while improving NVH, strength and functionality.
Although not every research direction finds its way into serial
production, they all give opportunities for new learnings
to flow into the designs of the next generation of products.
Alongside these product-oriented R&D activities, constant
efforts to improve manufacturing processes and develop new
ones are being pursued. Our great challenge is to offer effective
and viable solutions for the future, including for hybrid
and electric vehicles.
To learn more from Jtekt, visit
www.ukimediaevents.com/info/vdm ref. 002

Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

 FROM THE PUBLISHER OF VEHICLE DYNAMICS INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

19-20 June, 2018

KÖLN MESSE, COLOGNE, GERMANY

Nine streams, over 250 speakers, PLUS meet

the companies shaping the future of transportation
in our exhibitor zone!
2020-2030 A ND BE YOND...

CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT

TRANSPORTATION & URBAN MOBILITY!

STREAMS & SESSIONS

Changing Landscape For Automotive Manufacturers

MaaS – Mobility as a Service

Legal & Technical Issues of Autonomous Vehicles

Quantum Shifts

Environmental Sustainability

The Challenge for Rail

Infrastructure & Project Funding

Getting Transportation Off the Ground

Urban Air Mobility – Technical & Engineering Challenges

VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER!

www.thefutureoftransport.com
46 PRODUCT PROFILE

Modules for P2 hybrids

BorgWarner is developing on- and off-axis modules for P2-type HEVs, which deliver
functionalities such as stop/start, regenerative braking, boosting and pure electric driving

››
Current trends such as connected
cars, autonomous driving,
e-mobility and urban mobility
concepts increasingly require auto
makers and suppliers to adopt new
mobility concepts such as HEVs and EVs.
Of the different hybrid architectures
available, the so-called P2 arrangement is
receiving a great deal of attention. Here,
the electric motor is placed between
the engine and the transmission, with
an internal combustion engine (ICE)
disconnect clutch positioned between
the electric motor and the ICE to enable
pure electric driving.
As a leading supplier of clean and
efficient drive technologies for vehicles
with combustion engines, as well as
hybrid and electric propulsion systems,
BorgWarner supports OEMs around
the globe in mastering the challenges
lying ahead by developing advanced
technologies such as on- and off-axis P2
modules (Figure 1) in order to meet the
increasing demand for HEV technologies. FIGURE 1 (ABOVE):
BorgWarner’s P2
With the on-axis arrangement, the modules offer hybrid
motor is located directly on the main functionalities as well
axis, whereas it is installed parallel to as increased fuel
the main axis and is ideally connected efficiency and
via a chain as the torque/speed performance electric machine can be installed within
transmitting element in the off-axis the existing drivetrain space.
FIGURE 2 (RIGHT):
configuration (Figure 2). The electric motor of For transverse ICE orientation, the
Due to the position of the electric the on-axis P2 module off-axis arrangement is the primary
motor, packaging space is the main is located directly on choice if a single disconnect clutch can
distinction between the two concepts. the main axis, be directly linked to the P2 module via a
The on-axis arrangement is especially whereas for the off- chain, offering high positional flexibility
axis configuration, it
interesting for all longitudinal is installed parallel to and strength. This architecture provides
drivetrains, where the axial space is the main axis additional benefits such as an applicable
generally not very limited, and for dual- gear ratio or the potential for further
clutch transmission (DCT) applications, chain-driven assembly integration.
particularly if the dual-clutch module is
nested, with the disconnect clutch inside Design options
the electric motor. Also, the electric In addition to using a classic P2 module
motor is larger and therefore heavier containing a single disconnect clutch,
in an on-axis arrangement. However, it other configurations using a triple
requires neither supplementary torque clutch, a one-way clutch (OWC) or a
transfer hardware nor additional space latching mechanism can be adopted to
adjacent to the transmission, as the improve the packaging and/or efficiency.

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018


A single disconnect clutch concept
applies to all transmission types and
makes use of a wet-type clutch for
maximum functionality and durability as
well as minimum packaging. In an on-
axis arrangement, the disconnect clutch
can be nested within the electric motor,
allowing the rotor assembly and clutch
housing to be combined into a single
component and enabling rotor cooling
via the clutch lube.
The triple-clutch design is best suited
for DCT hybrid transmissions with both
the disconnect and dual clutch nested
within the electric motor. This offers an
attractive overall length for a hybrid DCT.
Using an OWC optimizes the space
required for the disconnect device, while
also reducing complexity, improving
efficiency and lowering cost. Positioning
the OWC and the electric motor on
only one of the DCT shafts allows the
only compromise of this solution to be
overcome – the loss of engine braking
when combined with AT, CVT, or others.
PRODUCT PROFILE 47
the engine more easily. The on-axis
FIGURE 3 (ABOVE): configuration, on the other hand,
Low- and high- facilitates using a larger-diameter
voltage electric motor
electric machine with a lower speed,
configurations offer
different benefits, which produces higher levels of torque
thus allowing for a due to its larger diameter. The increased
solution tailored to diameter of the electric motor allows
the customer’s clutches or gearing to be nested inside
requirements the rotor or stator assembly for optimal
use of vehicle installation space.
While a low-voltage system offers
cost-effective CO2 reductions, a high-
voltage solution can provide a power
output of over 100kW for fuel economy
improvements by enabling the vehicle to
operate in full electric mode (Figure 3).
Cooling the electric motor using
an oil-cooled system is the most
effective method in terms of continuous
operating performance as it facilitates
the direct contact of coolant with
thermal components of the electric
motor. In configurations with high oil
temperatures, high performance can be
achieved using a water ethylene glycol
system and internal oil spray.
Winding and wire shape also influence
the performance of the e-machine. In
The integration of a latching comparison with a concentrated wound
mechanism facilitates greater efficiency motor, the distributed wound stator
of a wet friction clutch and is attractive assembly provides for extremely low
when integrated into a HEV disconnect torque ripple and cogging torque. This
clutch where the ICE is connected for equates to lower NVH from the electric
part of the time. Simulations conducted machine and reduces system NVH by
have shown that the integration of its eliminating most of the pulsations
latching mechanism with a closing time from the motor. A conductor with a
of 60% and an average closing pressure rectangular cross-section in a distributed
of 6 bar in the WLTC drive cycle leads to winding maximizes current density and
CO2 savings of 1.5g/km. improves heat dissipation. This setup
Another component that allows also benefits power density and NVH.
different configurations is the electric With regard to the rotor assembly,
motor. Setup considerations include an interior permanent magnet (IPM)
the packaging and operating level of facilitates higher efficiency and
the e-machine, its cooling system, continuous performance of the electric
winding types (distributed versus machine compared with induction
concentrated) and wire shapes (round machines, since the magnetic field does
versus rectangular), and the rotor not require external excitation. IPM
assembly design. rotors can be used in combination
In terms of packaging, a smaller- with all types of stator assemblies.
diameter electric machine with a higher
speed is preferable for an off-axis READER INQUIRY SERVICE ref. 003
solution with limited axial space, as To learn more from BorgWarner, visit
the machine can be installed alongside www.ukimediaevents.com/info/vdm
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
48 PRODUCT PROFILE
Virtual test drive calibration
Vehicle dynamics simulation makes it possible to front-load development steps.
dSpace considers the potential of a continuous ‘in-the-loop’ approach
››
New emissions regulations and
the growing complexity of
drivetrain components call for
effective and efficient methods to reduce
the emissions of combustion engines,
particularly in transient operation. The
continuous use of a vehicle dynamics
simulation in the different development
phases makes it possible to front-load
development steps. By using the example
of calibrating a transmission control,
which has a strong influence on dynamic
vehicle operation, the potential of a
continuous ‘in-the-loop’ approach can
be presented.
The challenge: emissions regulations
As of September 2017, new emissions
test procedures have been made
mandatory in the European Union.
The introduction of the Worldwide
Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicles
Test Procedure (WLTP) and the
complementary real driving emission
(RDE) tests significantly tightens the
legal regulations for testing emissions
and fuel consumption. The varying test
conditions used for the RDE approval
tests, combined with the steadily
increasing number of vehicle variants,
pose great challenges for vehicle
developers and manufacturers.
To ensure that emissions stay
within legal boundaries, the technical
complexity of the hardware components
and the associated software functions
increases. Front-loading validation
and calibration tasks, which to date
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
have predominantly been performed
FIGURE 1: Connection in real vehicles, offer great potential
between the engine for shortening development times
test bench and the
real-time simulator in and cutting costs. For drivetrain
engine-in-the-loop development, this means that the
operation tasks that are currently performed in
prototype or preproduction vehicles have
to be front-loaded to the engine test
bench or, in part, to model-in-the-loop
(MIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)
simulation.
Continuous ‘in-the-loop’ approach
To validate the interaction between
vehicle behavior and the drivetrain,
including the associated software
algorithms, the relevant drivetrain
components have to interact with the
components of the remaining vehicle in
a closed loop. Using a seamless toolchain
in the entire product development
process makes it possible to front-load
tests from the vehicle to the test bench
(engine-in-the-loop [EIL]), and even to
pure MIL simulation.
With MIL operations, important
tests can be simulated in a virtual
environment very early in the
development process. Complementary
simulation models of the drivetrain and
vehicle components are used to form a
simulation of the entire vehicle, which
is calculated on the basis of the offline
simulation platform dSpace Veos. In the
EIL approach, the automation system
of the test bench is connected to a
real-time-capable vehicle co-simulation,
which is calculated on the Scalexio HIL
test system. The automation system of
the test bench interacts with the vehicle
co-simulation by means of the captured
torque and the desired torque. The HIL
system calculates the derived change in
engine speed and passes it as a reference
value to the automation system of the
test bench – the FEV Test Object Manager
– via a deterministic EtherCAT interface,
which is executed on the test bench
(Figure 1).
The efficient front-loading of complex
vehicle tests in changing environmental
conditions – such as RDE tests – requires
the continuous use of realistic vehicle
models and driving maneuvers in early
development phases using virtual or
real combustion engines (MIL or EIL,
respectively). The basis for simulation
is the dSpace Automotive Simulation
Model (ASM) simulation tool suite,
which provides tools for defining and
simulating drivetrains, vehicle dynamics,
roads, and driving maneuvers. The
ASM environment makes it possible
to consider lateral dynamics effects
and even complex traffic scenarios.
Therefore, real RDE test drives can be
simulated virtually and used in MIL as
well as EIL operation.
Use case: virtual transmission
calibration
The calibration of the transmission
must take into account the complex
interactions of the transmission
hardware, the transmission ECU, the
combustion engine and its ECU, as well

as the remaining drivetrain. Due to the
transmission’s dynamic behavior and
the mutual interaction with the other
drivetrain components, transmission
calibration is usually performed rather
late in the development process. One
way to front-load calibration tasks is
to completely virtualize the drivetrain
components and their interactions (MIL).
The quality of this approach largely
depends on how realistic the models
and the parameterization are.
The calibration of a six-gear dual-
clutch transmission in an MIL and
EIL environment is used as a practical
example. The clutch control, the torque
interventions, and the resulting engine
speed gradient, have a strong influence
on the transient emission generation
during gear switching. Therefore, the
effort required for simulating them in
the MIL environment is unjustifiably
high. The reciprocal influences of the
FIGURE 2: Engine
speeds and
particulate emissions
of a combustion
engine for different
data versions of the
soft TCU
soft TCU, the calibration rig, and the
real engine hardware on the emissions
are shown at the EIL test bench.
As a dynamic test, an acceleration
with a constant gas pedal position is
simulated until a constant velocity is
reached. Different clutch closing times
were used at the EIL test bench when
the driving force is switched from
one shaft to the other, as well as
during engine-speed synchronization.
Figure 2 shows the results of regular,
slow and fast parameterization in
the respective rows. The left column
displays the gear-shift times, indicated
by the decreasing engine speed. The
right column displays the measured
particulates per meter cubed.
At a pedal position of 30%, fast gear
switches cause the lowest particulate
emissions, but with higher loads, this
shifting strategy causes extremely
high particulate emissions in transient
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
PRODUCT PROFILE 49
operation. By comparison, the regular
shifting strategy is ideal in most parts
of the load profile. This means the small
difference of around 250ms between the
two gear switch speeds causes a large
difference in the volume of emitted
particulates during dynamic operation.
Small differences in parameterization
of gear switch duration lead to immense
changes in emissions. However, with the
EIL approach, the combined influencing
factors during the shifting process, such
as ignition angle, lambda and air/fuel
mix can be considered before the actual
vehicle tests and make it possible to
estimate emissions under realistic RDE-
like conditions.
Conclusion
Calibrating a transmission ECU in
combination with an EIL test bench
showed the potential benefits of front-
loading development steps. Because
the individual drivetrain components
interact with the vehicle simulation
in real time, it is possible to perform
complex tests on the emission behavior
with the EIL test bench, even in early
project phases. This means the maturity
of the data set of ECUs can be increased
considerably. In addition, front-loading
relevant calibration and test tasks from
the prototype vehicle to the engine test
bench, or even to pure simulation, keeps
development costs and times constant,
even if systems become more complex.
Due to the integrated environment
simulation, the test setup used here
can also be used for future RDE tests.
AUTHORS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was written by Norbert Meyer
and Stefan Walter at dSpace and Serge
Klein and Prof. Dr Jakob Andert at
RWTH Aachen University. This work
was partially performed as part of the
research project, Advanced Co-Simulation
Open System Architecture (ACOSAR),
within the European EUREKA cluster
program ITEA3. This work was partially
conducted within the CMP (Center for
Mobile Propulsion), which is funded
by DFG.
READER INQUIRY SERVICE ref. 004
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50 PRODUCT PROFILE
Added attraction
3i-Print stands for individualize, integrate and innovate with additive manufacturing. Altair’s
technology was applied on a VW Caddy Youngtimer with its integrated 3D-printed front end
››
As a relatively young,
high-potential manufacturing
method, 3D printing – also
known as additive manufacturing
(AM) – is quickly gaining popularity
in a variety of industries which aim
to build lighter, better and more cost-
efficient components. The technology
particularly proves its strength in areas
where conventional manufacturing
has reached its limits. Industrial
3D printing allows for small-batch
production at reasonable cost, and can
also offer component customization in
serial production. The need for lighter
components in combination with a high
degree of functional integration makes
3D printing particularly interesting for
the automotive industry.
A recent research project called
3i-Print brought six top technology
and manufacturing companies together,
resulting not only in a new additively
manufactured front-end structure for a
VW Caddy Youngtimer, but also an agile,
collaborative engineering platform for
R&D, enabling innovative prototype
concepts using 3D printing. From
concept to the final rebuilt vehicle,
the project was completed in only nine
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
months. The new front-end component
is lighter, stable, and features a high
degree of functional integration.
From idea to prototype in nine months
Csi entwicklungstechnik, the project
initiator, is an engineering service
company with a focus on the automotive
industry. Stefan Herrmann, lightweight
design engineer in the company’s
body-in-white team, explains, “We had
the idea to combine AM with our
body-in-white competence. We did
not want to just replace cast nodes
with 3D-printed nodes, which is the
usual procedure today. The aim was
to demonstrate how to design and
develop a complete front-end structure
to fully benefit from the many
advantages AM offers.”
The participating companies covered
every development step of the process
chain, from design, simulation,
optimization and manufacturing,
to post-production of the part. Csi
entwicklungstechnik designed,
developed and built the Caddy front-end
structure with support from APWorks, an
Airbus subsidiary specializing in metal
3D printing from design and material to
qualified serial production. Several tools
from Altair’s HyperWorks software suite
were used to design, optimize, simulate
and develop the structure, including
Radioss for crash analysis, OptiStruct and
solidThinking Inspire for optimization.
All components were printed on an
M 400 system from EOS, using the
Scalmalloy high-strength aluminum
alloy, developed by APWorks and
supplied and qualified by Heraeus. Gerg,
a supplier of innovative solutions in
the area of prototyping and small-scale
series for the automotive and aerospace
industries, was responsible for joining
the additively manufactured components
to finalize the full front-end frame.
Design considerations and
optimization
In view of the growing trend toward
electrification in the automotive sector,
heat management, as well as the
reduction of design space and overall
weight, were crucial considerations
when designing the front-end section.
Moreover, structural requirements
relating to vehicle safety, performance
ABOVE: The design for and comfort needed to be addressed.
the front end, created The simulation-driven design process
using Altair’s CAE
was conducted by csi with Altair tools.
software tools
As a CAE software and engineering
services company, Altair also brought
comprehensive knowledge of the design
of load-specific and material-efficient
components to the project. For bionic
inspiration, and to meet all load cases
and demands for stiffness and crash
safety, while realizing the potential
of 3D printing for weight reduction,
topology optimization was carried
out in OptiStruct, and FE analysis was
performed for the proposed design. The
3D printing of the front-end structure
was based on the results of the topology
optimizations, which considered static
requirements as well as crash load cases.
Altair’s AcuSolve CFD analysis tool was
used to achieve the structure’s maximum
functional integration. In this way, heat
management by load-bearing structures
with details for active and passive
cooling could be considered.
Designing specifically for 3D printing
Following the successful simulation
and optimization of the frame

geometry, APWorks took over the final
dimensioning of the components for
3D printing.
“Csi entwicklungstechnik was familiar
with our Light Rider project, where
we designed and produced the first
3D-printed motorcycle prototype,”
explains Sven Lauxmann, director
of marketing and sales at APWorks.
“They were very interested in the
experiences we have had regarding
material, design and printing. The focus
was on bionic-inspired design and on
the experience of printing a component
whose dimensions go far beyond the
design spaces that are possible today.”
Design constraint considerations
included modeling of multiple features
in a component, wall thicknesses, or the
printing orientation of the component
for optimal print space usage. Another
question was how the support structures
that are necessary for the printing
could be reduced or later used in the
component for other features. Through
close collaboration and the continuous,
iterative exchange between csi and
APWorks, the final, technically effective
and cost-efficient design was developed
and printed out of Scalmalloy.
Manufacturing and material
To manufacture the front-end structure,
APWorks relied on the M 400 system
by EOS, a leading technology provider
for industrial 3D printing of metals and
polymers. Nikolai Zaepernick, EOS senior
vice president, central Europe, says,
“The 3i-Print project impressively
shows what is possible with 3D printing
technology. With a large assembly
space and 1,000W of laser power, the
EOS M 400 reliably fulfilled the project’s
demands – producing very complex,
high-quality metal components in small
batches within a very short time.”
In terms of material choice, APWorks
cooperated with the metal powder
specialist Heraeus, a supplier of the
Scalmalloy high-strength aluminum
alloy, the first material developed as
an alloy system specifically for AM,
with high cooling rates and rapid
solidification, developed by APWorks.
Tobias Caspari, head of AM at Heraeus,
explains, “To market the powder, Heraeus
focuses above all on the aerospace
and medical industry, and also covers
what we call industrial applications.
I am convinced that for many areas,
3D printing will be the technology of
choice in the future. 3D printing offers
possibilities for weight reduction that
cannot be reached with a classical
casting form.”
Assembling the final component
The single components then had to be
connected. Gerg, also a participant in
APWorks’ Light Rider project, provided
the design and construction of the
welding device, the assembly process,
and the mechanical post-processing.
The 3D-printed components of the EOS
system are the size of a shoebox. The 31
parts for the Caddy’s front-end structure
were assembled like a 3D puzzle and
joined with a TIG welding process.
The requirements for the complex
assembly process had been taken
into account from the beginning.
Accessibility and deformation due
to heat input was considered. Joint
locations were developed with the
welding seam in mind, so that manual
assembly steps could be reduced to a
minimum. To ensure reliable connections
between the individually printed parts,
PRODUCT PROFILE 51
Gerg engineers carried out welding
ABOVE: Load parameter tests for Scalmalloy.
simulation was Benjamin Scheffler, head of
undertaken prior production engineering at Gerg,
to the start of the
states, “In the 3i-Print project, we
printing process
could contribute our know-how
ABOVE RIGHT: The from development to manufacturing
3D-printed front end cross-process and provide substantial
in situ in the VW contribution to its ‘materialization’.
Caddy Youngtimer The amazing variety of manufacturing
LEFT: The Additive
possibilities under one roof enables us
Manufacturing to implement complex and innovative
process in action projects within a short timeframe. As
a manufacturer for prototypes and small
series in the automotive, aerospace,
and medical engineering fields, we are
always confronted with new challenges.
Here, we can count on experienced and
creative specialists. As our slogan says:
‘We materialize ideas’.”
Project 3i-Print – a platform for
innovative prototyping concepts
Csi entwicklungstechnik’s 3i-Print project
acts as an agile engineering platform
for R&D, enabling innovative prototype
concepts. Demonstrating the potential of
state-of-the-art manufacturing methods,
it is an open platform for collaboration
that quickly enables the implementation
of new ideas.
"We are proud to present the classic
Caddy with an innovative new front-end
structure,” says Stefan Herrmann of
csi. “This demonstrates the potential
that industrial 3D printing, with its
enormous opportunities for functional
integration, offers – particularly for the
automotive industry.”
READER INQUIRY SERVICE ref. 005
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52 PRODUCT PROFILE
Effective AEB testing
Racelogic’s VBOX Test Suite software has been updated with a plug-in to enable
autonomous emergency braking tests in line with Euro NCAP protocols
››
Automotive engineers
specializing in vehicle
development, certification,
homologation and benchmarking can
now take advantage of the VBOX Test
Suite software package, which has
recently been updated to include a plug-
in that allows for testing to the latest
Euro NCAP protocol for autonomous
emergency braking (AEB).
With more than a quarter of road
traffic accidents occurring as a result of
nose-to-tail car collisions, often due to
driver distraction or inattention, AEB
and forward-collision warning (FCW)
have become commonplace on the latest
vehicles. Since 2014 it has only been
possible to achieve a Euro NCAP 5-star
safety rating if the vehicle has AEB
installed, and the UK’s independent
safety expert, Thatcham, has called on
manufacturers to make it a standard
fitment on every car they produce. Euro
NCAP estimates that more than 50,000
lives would be saved in the next 20 years
if this were the case. Clearly, AEB has a
major influence on road safety.
The NCAP protocol consists of three
types of test: car-to-car rear stationary,
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
car-to-car rear moving and car-to-car
ABOVE: The VBOX rear braking (CCRs, CCRm, CCRb). Further
system helps enhance
categorization determines whether an
the safety of tests,
and ultimately the AEB system is deployed at low speeds up
safety of vehicles to a maximum of 50km/h (30mph) in
urban areas (AEB City) and/or at higher
BELOW: The VBOX speeds up to 80km/h (50mph) outside
Test Suite displays all of built-up areas (AEB Inter-Urban).
channels and whether
each condition has CCRs forms part of the protocol for
been met both types of AEB systems, whereas
CCRm and CCRb testing only apply to
inter-urban systems and can include
testing for FCW.
CCRs and CCRm testing is carried out
in 5km/h (3mph) or 10km/h (6mph)
increments within prescribed speed
ranges, depending on whether the
system is AEB City or Inter-Urban. CCRb
testing is conducted at a fixed 50km/h
(30mph) for both subject and target
vehicles, with prescribed deceleration of
the target and of the distance between
the cars (‘headway’). Lateral deviation of
the following vehicle to the path of the
target must not exceed ±10cm (4in).
These speeds and distances present
fairly significant difficulties for a testing
and development program, mainly due
to how precise they need to be. It is very
hard, for instance, to follow another
vehicle’s path with no more than 20cm
(8in) of side-to-side deviation, and even
competent test drivers can find that
braking to an exact deceleration rate, as
required in the CCRb test, is extremely
challenging.
Consequently, the driving will usually
be done under robot control, supplied
by the likes of Vehico and Anthony
Best Dynamics, both of whom provide
steering and throttle/brake robots
compatible with Racelogic’s dual-antenna

VBOX 3i SLR, installed in both the
subject (VUT) and target (EVT) vehicles
for the CCRm and CCRb tests, and linked
by radio modem. The VBOX equipment
meets the requirement for datalogging
at 100Hz, as well as relative positional
accuracy between them of ±2cm (0.8in),
achieved via an RTK lock. The CCRs test
is normally conducted using one VBOX,
set in its static point mode whereby the
logger has a ‘map’ of the stationary EVT
programmed into it, which simplifies the
setup and test procedures.
The accuracy of VBOX enables all the
protocol’s boundary conditions to be
assessed, and assuming they have been
met, testing can begin.
The procedures to validate FCW and
AEB are essentially the same – the
difference being that the FCW alerts
the driver, rather than the vehicle
braking itself.
When testing an FCW system, the
VBOX Test Suite software needs to
log the FCW warning, which can be
delivered in several forms, such as an
audio alert backed up with a visual
display – commonly deployed on the
vehicle’s infotainment screen. In such
instances, CAN signal latency and the
slow refresh rate of some TFT monitors
(in comparison to a simple light on the
dashboard) often mean that the signal
has been generated a relatively long time
before it is made available to the driver.
Consequently the logging of this or
other latent signals should be done via
an alternative capture device to generate
a digital input for the VBOX, rather than
the vehicle CAN signal.
The NCAP protocol’s test parameters
for AEB are hard-coded into the VBOX
Test Suite software, and all the relevant
channels are automatically created
and logged during a test: subject and
target vehicle speeds, relative distances
between them, lateral deviation,
yaw and steering wheel velocity. As
mentioned above, an FCW warning will
be logged as a digital signal; an AEB
activation is deemed valid once the
vehicle decelerates according to protocol
parameters also hard-coded into the
software system.
As a test begins, the VBOX Test Suite
provides a live display on a laptop PC
or tablet, displaying all channels and
whether or not each test condition has
PRODUCT PROFILE 53
been met. This live feedback can save
hours of track time as it removes any
trial and error in getting each test up
and running. A test is complete once
the subject vehicle’s speed is 0km/h
(0mph); or lower than the speed of the
target vehicle; or there has been contact
between subject and target.
The VBOX Test Suite takes all the
channels relevant to the test and
processes the data according to the
boundaries set out in the Euro NCAP
protocol. Every run clearly shows
whether each test condition is within
ABOVE: Collision tolerance, and a pass/fail for the test
warning systems as a whole. This level of automation
and autonomous
emergency braking
results in a considerable reduction in
are helping to save post-processing work, as well as the
lives on the roads time already saved on track.
The protocol defines the equipment
required to conduct the tests, and the
VBOX 3i SLR, with its RTK 100Hz logging,
falls within the specification. A VBOX
IMU04 will also record vehicle yaw rate.
Another Euro NCAP requirement is
onboard video capture: ‘Onboard cameras
should be used to further record vehicle
behavior from inside the vehicle.’ The
use of Racelogic’s VBOX Video HD2,
which records graphically enhanced
footage at 1080 pixel resolution
synchronized with 10Hz GPS data, meets
this requirement, but can also be an
invaluable method of reviewing a car’s
AEB/FCW capabilities in a visual manner,
as key parameters can be displayed
in the video and presented as an
element to engineering reports.
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Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
54 PRODUCT PROFILE

Virtual proving grounds

rFpro says that proving grounds are becoming virtual, to meet the development
challenges of increasingly intelligent vehicle systems

››
It has long been argued that
the virtual testing of vehicles,
using a vehicle dynamics-
capable driving simulator, can
complement physical testing and shorten
development lead times. One engineering
consultancy, AVL, has estimated that
over 30% of the costs incurred in
developing driving attributes can be
saved by front-loading the engineering
activity on a driver-in-the-loop (DIL)
simulator with subjective feedback.
Now, however, this approach to
testing could be moving from being
a development ‘luxury’ to an essential,
thanks to the explosion in the amount
of software used on many vehicles, such
as deep-learning autonomous driving
(DLAD) systems and the increasingly
common use of ADAS. It has become
unrealistic to rely solely on physical
testing using real roads and test tracks;
it would take years to program and
test the necessary algorithms for every
possible scenario.
Instead, deep-learning autonomous
systems based on neural networks use RIGHT: Modern
training data sets in order to learn and software can create
produce the desired outputs. Wherever very realistic 3D
a corner case occurs (a problem where scenes, which are
multiple environmental variables or critical to producing
accurate test results
conditions are simultaneously at extreme
levels) additional training data must be
introduced; an example would be the public access to join the ‘digital’ club. real proving ground with physical
failure to recognize a particular color or Alongside the many private OEM-owned prototypes,” adds rFpro’s technical
style of vehicle under certain conditions. proving grounds already digitized, director, Chris Hoyle.
The training data can come from real they use digital models built by rFpro, “This allows customers to get more
sources, such as a vehicle-mounted a specialist UK software company that value from their real testing, achieving
camera, but this is often prone to errors has modeled many of the world’s tracks, correlation with their simulated testing
due to factors including seasonal weather including the famous Nürburgring and ensuring complete preparation
variations (snow or leaves), changing circuit, and hundreds of kilometers ahead of every real test so that no
lighting conditions (sunrise, sunset, of widely differing public roads. minute of physical testing time is
partial cloud) and traffic variability. “We are excited by the opportunity wasted. When a corner case is identified
Using a digital model, in simulation, for to offer physical testing services to during physical testing, the systems
the input data allows for much greater our OEM and Tier 1 customers for their can be tuned and calibrated off-line, in
control of all the variables and provides autonomous, deep learning and ADAS simulation, ahead of the next visit with
a better quality, more reliable data projects,” explains Alex Burns, president a physical prototype.”
set. Developing the robustness of the of Millbrook Group. “By offering a digital
software in a simulation environment model, with near-perfect correlation Overcoming challenges
enables the use of the latest software to the real test facility, our customers Providing a comprehensive simulation
engineering methods, such as regression can train and test their models off-line, environment requires very high graphical
testing, as many as tens of thousands or in the cloud, ready to bring the real fidelity, simultaneous output feeds to
of tests can be run overnight. vehicles to our site for testing.” multiple sensor models, interfaces with
“A digital model of a test facility all the mainstream vehicle modeling
Millbrook: the latest to go ‘digital’ enables OEM and Tier 1 customers to tools, and the ability to share the virtual
Millbrook Proving Ground has become develop and test their vehicle systems road space with human, programmed
the first test center in the UK with in simulation, ahead of visits to the and semi-intelligent traffic.

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018


When developing systems based on
machine learning from sensor feeds,
such as camera, lidar and radar feeds,
the quality of the 3D environment model
is crucial. The greater the correlation
between the real world and the virtual
world, the better the correlation
achieved by the deep-learning algorithms
between real and modeled scenarios.
rFpro’s high-definition environments
are built around a graphics engine
that includes a physically modeled
atmosphere, including weather and
lighting. Semantic information can also
be rendered, allowing the validation of
the segmentation process within the
deep learning system – the means by
which the drivable road surface and
lanes within the roads are distinguished
from the other items visible, such as
other cars and pedestrians.
According to Dr Stephen Neads, chief
technology officer of AB Dynamics,
whose aVDS driving simulator uses rFpro
content, the availability of existing
models of hundreds of kilometers of
public road, off-the-shelf, from rFpro,
is another significant benefit.
“As far as we know, rFpro is the only
company with realistic digital models
of multilane highways, urban, rural
and mountain routes, spanning North
America, Asia and Europe,” he says.
“The software also allows the import
and editing of third-party maps so
that investments in pre-existing digital
models can be utilized.”
rFpro supports simultaneous output
to multiple sensor models, synchronized
to 100µs to ensure coherent data. Each
sensor may be fed multiple simultaneous
streams, for example to support RGB,
HDR, depth, point-cloud, object
segmentation or road segmentation.
This means the data to train, test and
validate sensor models and algorithms
may be streamed simultaneously.
Off-the-shelf sensor models, such as
IPG’s CarMaker Physical Sensor Models
module, can also be used. Sensor feeds
may be labeled and can include first-
and second-order derivatives for moving
objects; this is useful for the validation
of emergency prediction algorithms.
rFpro’s capability to stream multiple
high-resolution HDR images in real time
is essential for running an ECU, HIL,
or with one or more human test drivers
sharing the same virtual world.
Managing the vehicle mix
The virtual world can be populated
by ego vehicles (the cars under your
control) as well as by semi-intelligent
swarm traffic and programmed traffic.
rFpro’s open traffic interface facilitates
the use of swarm traffic from industry-
standard tools. Vehicular and pedestrian
traffic can share the road network
correctly with perfectly synchronized
traffic and pedestrian signals, following
the rules of the road, while allowing
ad-hoc behavior, such as pedestrians
stepping into the road, to provoke
an emergency.
Human test drivers in full-scale
driving simulators, or at desktop
workstations with basic steering and
pedal controls, can interact with the
virtual world. This enables human drivers
to test cars with deep-learning ADAS, to
PRODUCT PROFILE 55
be passengers in a car under the control
TOP: A human- of a fully autonomous DLAD system,
readable visualization or to simply drive around the virtual
of a very high-
resolution point
world to either subjectively evaluate
cloud, in real time the behavior of autonomous vehicles,
or to provoke emergency scenarios
ABOVE: Semantic and evaluate the response.
segmentation allows At the simplest level, customer
the deep learning
algorithms and models may pass on basic
system to define the
items within the driver inputs, such as steer angle, brake
environment (blue for or throttle commands, but the dynamics
roads, red for road of the vehicle may also be represented.
markings, etc) For example, in order to simulate the
effect of vehicle motion over bumpy
roads, or during rapid maneuvers, on
the sensor feeds. An accurate vehicle
dynamics model is also valuable in
establishing that the car behaves
correctly in an emergency maneuver,
possibly interacting with the real ABS
and stability control systems. rFpro
includes interfaces to all the mainstream
vehicle modeling tools and enables the
use of industry-standard tools such
as MATLAB Simulink to modify and
customize experiments.
As vehicle technologies remove the
driver from the task of driving, it is
necessary to evolve the process through
which they are created and developed.
The near-infinite number of scenarios
that can occur on the road dictates
that these technologies can only be
thoroughly developed and validated
using virtual tools.
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56 PRODUCT PROFILE

High-fidelity models
for driving simulators
The Simcenter portfolio from Siemens PLM Software supports hybrid 3D-1D multiphysics,
and multirate systems for real-time vehicle ride and handling simulation

››
Adopting smart technologies
such as ADAS to provide active
safety without compromising
the dynamic behavior of a vehicle
is a challenging task for automotive
engineers. To achieve better-quality
design, accurate performance prediction,
and fully controlled development
planning, automotive manufacturers are
swiftly moving to a digitally integrated
product development environment.
CAE and multibody simulation (MBS)
models play an essential role in
predicting vehicle ride and handling
performance before prototyping. Faster
and more efficient innovation can be
achieved through better insight into
system performance at all steps in the
engineering process.
During the vehicle design phase,
simulation models are built to
analyze and predict the behavior and
performance of a new system. Depending
on the problem addressed and the
fidelity requirement, the same system
can be built differently by individual
engineering departments. Leveraging
existing simulation models can speed-
up the design process and make more off-line ride comfort, handling as well numerical model, taking into account
efficient use of the resources. With the ABOVE: Multirate 1D/ as durability analyses. The introduction the effect of the controller actions on
system-driven product development multiphysics and 3D of ADAS for performance and safety vehicle response. To reduce computation
chassis 150DOF
approach at its core, the Simcenter™ has transformed vehicles into true load and provide simulation results
multibody models on
portfolio from Siemens PLM Software real-time hardware mechatronic systems. Ensuring that the at the same communication interval,
provides effective solutions to gather performance of complex mechatronic typically a high-fidelity chassis
this insight, predict performance and systems matches requirements before multibody dynamics model with over
address advanced vehicle dynamics the prototyping phase requires modeling 150 DOF is reduced to 15 DOF. Although
challenges efficiently by uniquely of the whole system, accounting for such an approach enables chassis MBS
combining 1D system simulation, 3D individual components and subsystem models to provide results in real time,
CAE, and test measurement solutions. behavior. Simcenter’s open-integration it unavoidably delivers a lower accuracy
Enhancing simulation models with platform enables users to model and level compared with the original high-
accurate boundary conditions and simulate mechatronics systems in fidelity model simulations. The low-
parameters from measurements is a straightforward and continuous fidelity models often cover the roll, pitch
the optimum way to reach sufficient integration process covering MIL, SIL, and heave modes of the overall vehicle,
modeling realism. In the 2017 Annual HIL and DIL verification and validation. providing acceptable simulation accuracy
Showcase issue of Vehicle Dynamics Real-time DIL plant simulation models up to approximately 5Hz.
International, Siemens PLM Software are used by automotive OEMs and Tier 1 Recently, technological advancements
presented how a test campaign can be suppliers for early access to the vehicle have been made in LMS Virtual.
used to characterize objectively primary dynamics behavior. DIL tests mimic real Lab™ Motion software – developed by
ride behavior and use this insight to working conditions of the controller, Siemens PLM Software – to run 150 DOF
enhance simulation models fidelity. The communicating every ~1ms – or even high-fidelity models in real-time DIL
improved model can then be used for quicker for certain analysis – to the simulation, extending the model validity

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018


up to 30Hz. Model reduction is no longer
required and the accompanying loss of
fidelity in the results can be prevented.
The data for detailed vehicle
models is typically only available
at an OEM or from suppliers tasked
with the mechanical chassis systems.
Therefore, the high-DOF models
have a relatively limited source as
they are not populated with system-
response test data. Once created,
these models can be shared internally
or externally as a module (.dll/.so/.
fmu) for system integration. Trends
are showing maturing requirements
between OEMs and suppliers for digital
twin modules. The system integration
modeling requirements are broadening
to capture the behavior of coupled
active mechanical systems, with close
communication between subsystems.
The Simcenter portfolio uniquely
combines 1D simulation, 3D CAE, and
testing to help with the prediction
of performance across all critical
attributes earlier and throughout the
entire product lifetime. Simcenter helps
users go beyond simple verification to
performance prediction by combining
simulation, physical testing and data
analytics to spot unforeseen trends. MBS
models in LMS Virtual.Lab are paired
with a multiphysics model to look at
low and higher frequency effects. The
1D system simulation software, LMS
Imagine.Lab Amesim™, provides a large
set of libraries for detailed modeling
of mechanical, electric and hydraulic
systems, as well as a dedicated interface
to LMS Virtual.Lab Motion to easily
interface 3D and 1D models.
Through a tight integration between
LMS Virtual.Lab Motion and LMS
Imagine.Lab Amesim software, a detailed
1D representation of complex subsystems
such as electrohydraulic components and
control logics can be added to 3D models
for accurate real-time simulations of full
mechatronic systems.
The following features of the LMS
Virtual.Lab Motion Real-Time Solver have
made it possible to handle the 150 DOF
MBD chassis model in driving simulators:
Deterministic implicit solver
Standard implicit solvers take a different
amount of processing time per time
step. To deliver simulation results in
real time, the LMS Virtual.Lab Motion
Real-Time Solver fixes the order of the
time integration scheme and limits
the number of iterations to offer a
deterministic implicit solution.
Parallel processing
The solver supports shared memory
processor (SMP) parallelization to
partition a high-fidelity real-time
simulation model into two or more sub-
problems. The setup and processing are
well developed for automotive use and
can be added automatically.
Multirate simulation
The real-time solver capabilities have
been expanded to overcome the same
integration step (typically 1ms = 1kHz)
requirement to be used by all subsystems
involved in the real-time co-simulation,
enabling multirate simulations to cover
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
PRODUCT PROFILE 57
a frequency rate up to 5kHz to cover
requirements from high-frequency
subsystems such as combustion loads.
The real-time co-simulation between
LMS Virtual.Lab Motion and LMS
Imagine.Lab Amesim has been evaluated
in a DIL scenario, in which inputs from
the driver (steering, throttle, brake,
transmission gear) were used to drive
the full-vehicle model to obtain real-time
output data (streaming more than 120
channels in real time to the operating
system), which could be used as input
for a driving simulator system.
A 1D system representation was used
for several subsystems. For braking, this
included ABS/ESC control logic, braking
components such as the booster, master
cylinder, hydraulic modulator of an ESC
system, as well as the hydraulic braking
circuit, to assess dynamics, compare
hydraulic architectures, and evaluate
braking distance or vehicle stability.
For EPS assist, the worm gear EPS
structure was modeled taking into
account steering angle input and vehicle
speed providing the assistance torque.
For powertrain (running at a fixed
integration step of 0.2ms), this
comprised an internal combustion
engine with an ECU for regulation,
and a manual gearbox including clutch
to provide the engine torque and RPM.
Accounting for dynamic effects from
the finite stiffness of bushings in the
suspension and the interaction with
ADAS systems requires high-fidelity
models extending up to 30Hz. The
Simcenter portfolio provides the ability
to execute 150 DOF high-fidelity MBS
models in real-time applications.
The advantages of this solution are
that the same high-fidelity model is
suitable for both off-line and real-time
simulations, there is no loss of accuracy
from off-line to real-time simulations,
and easy ‘what-if’ analyses can be
carried out by directly accessing physical
parameters in the real-time model.
Simcenter supports hybrid 3D-1D
multiphysics and multirate systems
running on the most common real-time
hardware platforms.
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58 PRODUCT PROFILE
Monotube dampers
BWI Group’s innovative X-Flow valve is a monotube
design for improved vehicle tuning capability
››
Building upon a strong
foundation of working with
passive suspension dampers
while embracing the automotive industry
trend toward light-weighting, global
chassis experts at BWI Group have
recently completely redesigned their
monotube damper.
“BWI Group never stops trying to
improve, to find the best solution that
will benefit our customers,” explains
Marcin Knapczyk, engineering manager
in the ride development department.
“Decades ago, our De Carbon Monodisc
set a new standard for damping
performance. Much later, BWI’s Multidisc
valving system increased tunability while
improving monotube damper durability.
Today, our new monotube dampers are up
to 40% lighter than equivalent twintube
products, while providing exceptional
tunability and ride comfort.”
“BWI has set the standard for
monotube valving tunability,” continues
Knapczyk, “and we never stop looking
for ways to improve it. One of our
newest innovations, X-Flow monotube
valving, increases the precision with
which vehicle engineers can tune
their vehicles. It offers less restrictive
hydraulic fluid flow through the damper
piston, especially at higher damper
speeds, leading to better driver and
passenger comfort.”
The X-Flow valve has a cross-flow
piston body and two disc stacks (one
each for rebound and compression). It
is possible to use the orifice bleed disc
for common tuning of low velocities
in both the rebound and compression
strokes. However, BWI Group’s unique
(patent protected) additional orifice
bleed disc with a check valve allows for
fully independent and precise tuning of
rebound or compression performance.
The new valve also enables the piston
design to be optimized to reduce oil flow
restriction. Maximum tuning flexibility
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
RIGHT: BWI’s
monotube is durable
and tunable
is provided by making the disc diameter
as large as possible, reducing the
restriction to flow, while improving
the range of disc stack stiffness and
the resolution of tuning steps.
The valve design not only achieves
new levels of tunability, but also meets
the most demanding damper durability
requirements. Traditionally, monotube
damper durability has been challenging
and quite often inferior to twintube
because of damper configuration and
valve design limitations. BWI Group’s
solution offers the most optimized valve
configuration for endurance, in order
to meet new market standards.
“The new technology is aimed at
sporting/luxury vehicles that demand
more performance than can be obtained
from budget passive dampers, but do not
require the sophistication of adaptive
technologies,” says Knapczyk.
The company has taken the same
development approach for the rest of
its product portfolio to introduce other
solutions that help vehicle manufacturers
meet their challenging weight targets.
Examples include hollow piston rods,
one-piece knuckle brackets, and reservoir
tubes with a variable wall thickness.
BWI Group has also recently introduced
other passive damper innovations to
improve chassis refinement, such as its
hydraulic compression and rebound stop
systems. In the active damping category,
the group’s DualRide system provides
premium ride performance at an affordable
cost, automatically switching between
two damping modes based upon vehicle
information and/or driver input, while
MagneRide offers unparalleled damping
flexibility through magnetorheological
fluid-filled dampers and sophisticated
control strategies.
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60 PRODUCT PROFILE
Add motion to simulation
How far can motion technology take the automotive simulation industry? D-Box is pushing
the limits with an authentic driving experience that takes simulation to a new level
››
When companies need to train
a fleet of drivers, test a new
vehicle in R&D, or give a test
drive to a potential customer, using a
real car or truck isn’t always feasible.
Maintenance and soaring fuel costs can
make it economically prohibitive. And
training for dangerous road conditions
can put drivers at risk.
The solution for many is driving
simulators. The versatility, cost
effectiveness, and ability to safely test
drivers in critical events make them an
all-round intelligent option. However,
driving simulators are not without their
limitations. In fact, they are widely
regarded among experts as some of the
most challenging simulators to build
because they require very accurate and
precise feedback – more so than flight
simulators. The vibration and accuracy
of high-frequency movement needed by
driving simulators can be challenging for
traditional motion-based solutions.
To give all simulators the ability to
leverage motion, a team of designers
at D-Box has developed an affordable
option that is easy to integrate. This
Montreal-based company started turning
heads in the entertainment industry
back in 2009 with its innovative,
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018
high-fidelity motion technology that
synced the action on screen with the
movement in the seat, giving movie-
goers an immersive experience that has
no equal, even today. Over the years, the
company has been successfully applying
that same technology to simulation and
training in the military, air force and
automobile industries, becoming a world
leader in immersive motion technology.
For driving simulators, D-Box allows
users to quickly and affordably integrate
an out-of-the-box motion system into
their simulation engine and deliver a
true-to-life physical experience from
a wide variety of driving scenarios.
Nicolas Akarsu is head of export sales
and international business development
at French firm Ediser, a leader in driver
training and simulations. His company
utilizes D-Box-enabled simulators to give
trainees motion-based feedback on their
driving performance.
“The D-Box Platform reproduces
the real-time movements and
driving sensations of a vehicle in its
environment according to the actions
performed,” declares Akarsu. “Various
movements during acceleration or
deceleration, or actions such as pitch or
roll, are all faithfully restored. Vibrations
also restore the irregularities of the
road vibrations and jolts (curb, pothole,
speed changes, skid) and provide more
reliability and performance.”
The experience is so true to life that
the French Ministry of Transportation
recognizes one hour of simulation
training in Ediser’s simulator as one hour
of in-car training. Instructors have noted
that training in the simulator is much
more efficient, especially when it comes
ABOVE: Simulation to training their students for specific
is safe and time
situations. The fact is, it’s much safer
efficient, and offers
easy repeatability and easier to recreate it in simulation
than it is to drive around searching for
different scenarios and conditions.
Robert McGinnis, senior account
manager at Mechanical Simulation’s
CarSim division, is a big proponent of
D-Box technology. “I have nothing but
good things to say about D-Box. The
failure rate is non-existent. Everything
works first time and we have never
had a failure in the field. This is very
important to us because the QuadDS is
used at trade shows and high-visibility
marketing events and technical
demonstrations where downtime is
not acceptable.”
For D-Box, these testaments are proof
positive that its motion technology
is able to tackle the challenges of the
automotive industry head on.
In fact, creating an authentic driving
experience in a cost-effective way is, by
all accounts, an advantage unique to
D-Box that can’t be simulated.
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Silver lining
There has been a design breakthrough for ultra-high-temperature sensors: patented
Silver Window technology from Dytran, which boosts performance and durability
››
High-temperature automotive
accelerometers work in harsh
conditions, and users expect
high performance and long-term
durability from their sensors in such
environments. Material selection is a
critical and difficult area for the design
and manufacturing of high-temperature
accelerometers. These design constraints
led to intense research and development,
which culminated in Dytran Instruments’
Model 3335C accelerometer, which
features patented technology. The
3335C combines all known advances in
high-temperature sensor technology in
a small, powerful, hermetically sealed
sensor that operates at up to 1,200°F
(649°C) through the use of Silver
Window technology.
There is a common denominator when
reviewing the piezoelectric crystal and
ceramic materials typically available for
high-temperature sensor design: the
loss of oxygen at elevated temperatures.
Oxygen depletion occurs during the
operation of piezoceramic sensors at
these high temperatures, which lowers
insulation resistance. The solution to
this design issue is to allow oxygen back
into the piezoelectric crystals. Given
the current restraints of the sensor
housing environment, this solution is
not feasible. Moreover, the metal sensor
housing chemically traps a portion of
the oxygen released from the crystals,
forming a metal oxide and permanently
making the piezoelectric crystals operate
with lower insulation resistance, even
at lower temperatures.
RIGHT: The engine
bay is a hostile
environment for
accelerometers, but
for the 3335C it
creates no
temperature issues
Some manufacturers do pre-oxidize
all their metal parts to avoid oxygen
getting to the internal surfaces, while
other manufacturers open vents into the
sensor, allowing environmental oxygen
into the piezoelectric crystals. But these
openings or vents also allow corrosive
gases from harsh environments, or
other contaminants, to ingress into the
sensor’s housing. Other techniques are
more elaborate, with porous metals that
allow gas interchange, or chemicals that
release oxygen at high temperatures,
such as manganese dioxide (MnO2), but
they demonstrated similar shortcomings.
The porous metals can allow corrosive
gas ingress, and utilization of MnO2 is
also problematic, as the internal oxygen
supply will eventually run out of
oxygen as it is consumed by the
crystals or the internal metal parts.
Silver Window technology
Dytran Instruments developed a
technology to overcome and address
the oxygen depletion that affects all
piezoelectric materials. It solves all
the material selection shortcomings,
producing a constant supply of oxygen
to the interior of the sensor housing so
that it is activated only when operated
at high temperatures. The technology
incorporates a patented metallic ‘Silver
Window’, an innovation that enables
diffusion of oxygen from the exterior
of the housing and forms an integral
part of the metal housing of the sensor.
Additionally, silver is a metal that
operates perfectly in high-temperature
PRODUCT PROFILE 61
environments, as the silver de-oxidizes
ABOVE: The 3335C when it is exposed to high temperatures.
accelerometer can
operate at intense
A sensor made with the Silver Window
temperatures up to technology is still hermetically sealed, as
1,200°F (649°C) the silver allows diffusion only through
the metal matrix, and the sealing of the
sensor is hermetic in nature.
Another substantial advantage
of Dytran’s patented technology is
the feasibility of making the smaller
design dimensions possible for any
high-temperature, hermetically sealed
sensors. All sensors fabricated using
Silver Window could be made with the
smallest dimensions achievable, because
the increase of oxygen availability to the
piezoelectric crystals allows for designs
with smaller crystals.
Sensor assemblies using this
technology are more robust and better
able to resist thermal shocks, which
is a common cause of failure in many
sensors. Furthermore, sensors using
Silver Window have better low-frequency
behavior as the insulation resistance is
higher than with comparable sensors.
The main testing applications for this
high-performance sensor are: exhaust and
catalytic converter studies; gas and steam
turbines for power generation and aircraft;
nuclear power plants; rocket engines;
and any ultra-high-temperature
vibration testing environment.
READER INQUIRY SERVICE ref. 011
To learn more from Dytran, visit
www.ukimediaevents.com/info/vdm
Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com
OEM Vehicle Dynamics
By OEM Professionals

www.caymandynamics.com
For Further Information:
info@caymandynamics.com
Cayman Dynamics LLC
15201 Century Dr. Ste. 605, Dearborn, MI 48120
+001 734 657-5926 (USA Eastern Time Zone)
 PRODUCT PROFILE 63

Ready to roll in Japan

Kistler’s RoaDyn S635 wheel force transducer is now authorized for operation on roads in Japan

››
Test vehicles fitted with
measuring equipment are not
allowed on the roads in Japan.
This is because of the frequent road
traffic incidents that have happened in
the past due to the extensive structures
built onto the outside of such vehicles.
To increase safety, Japan’s Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and
Tourism has introduced the Japan
Light Alloy Wheel (JWL) standard.
Authorization for operation in road
traffic can only be obtained by meeting
this standard’s demanding requirements.
After extensive testing, Kistler’s RoaDyn
S635 wheel-force transducer has become
the only wheel-force transducer to be
awarded JWL certification.
Kistler’s RoaDyn S635 is a six-
component wheel force transducer used
in test drives on public roads and test
tracks, or for off-road testing; it can also
be used directly on a vehicle test bench.
During tests, the loads on the wheels
are captured by five individual load cells
connected to the rim and the hub via
appropriate structural elements specific
to each vehicle. The signals are then
amplified in the load cell and fed directly
to the wheel electronics, where they are
filtered, digitized and coded. Finally, the the wheel is subjected during driving.
data stream is transmitted by telemetry For this purpose, a clamping device
(inboard transmission) via a rotor/stator and Kistler can guarantee that the wheel on the inner rim flange was used to
pair (with the rotor mounted on the force transducers are suitable for the ABOVE: Kistler’s clamp the entire wheel force transducer
RoaDyn S635
inner side of the wheel and the stator loads stated on the data sheets. (comprising the load cells, structural
transducer mounts
on the wheel suspension); the data Thanks to its modular structure based simply to a wheel rim elements and aluminum rim) rigidly
stream is then transformed in the on individual load cells, this wheel- and does not unduly onto the test machine; the transducer
onboard electronic unit for output force transducer can be flexibly adapted increase vehicle width was then exposed to a rotary bending
to a data acquisition device. Precise to given hub/rim geometries and moment over the wheel mounting
measurement results provide a crucial varying requirements for the load and/ surface. Then, after 100,000 cycles, a
basis for vehicle development. or measuring range. The high level of rolling test was carried out for 500,000
measurement accuracy is also maintained cycles on a rolling test rig. In the final
Inboard transmission eliminates during transmission thanks to fully ‘13° impact test’, the wheel disc was
external components digital signal conditioning. placed on the mounting plate, fixed and
A special feature of this transducer is the inclined by 13°. A free-falling weight
positioning of the telemetry equipment Tests passed with flying colors was allowed to drop onto the edge of the
on the inner side of the wheel. This To comply with the JWL standard, the rim flange, and the wheel was examined
eliminates the need for fixtures and RoaDyn S635 wheel force transducer for cracks, deformations and air leaks.
mounting components that would project had to undergo three extensive tests. After each of the three tests, a dye
over the wheel contour and increase the The transducer met the demanding penetrant inspection was carried out to
vehicle’s width beyond the permitted requirements for fatigue strength, mass check for cracks. Here too, the RoaDyn
dimensions. It is this feature that allows and moment of inertia. The electronics S635 wheel force transducer provided
operation of the RoaDyn S635 on public and telemetry also underwent EMC tests, no cause for complaint.
roads. All the structural parts and rims with successful results.
were designed and manufactured by A ‘rotating bending’ test was carried READER INQUIRY SERVICE ref. 012
Kistler. FEM analyses were carried out out; this involves simulation of the To learn more from Kistler, visit
to simulate strength and on this basis, rotary forces and moments to which www.ukimediaevents.com/info/vdm

Annual Showcase 2018 • VehicleDynamicsInternational.com

 64 DYNAMIC LEGENDS

The 1987 F40 was the last true Enzo Ferrari model, a simple, brutal supercar
Ferrari F40

designed with a focus on driver feel above all else. By Adam Gavine

›
A 40th is always a big occasion, so how would Ferrari
celebrate its anniversary? A party? Certainly. But Enzo
Ferrari had bigger ambitions for this 1987 occasion –
something a little more special, something a little racy.
Something that translated the company’s F1 and sportscar
racing success to the road.
The result was the F40, a mid-engined, two-seat fixed-head
coupé (a berlinetta in Ferrari’s lexicon), with bold, bluff
lines penned by Pininfarina that gave the car a simple,
wedge-shaped appearance, with NACA-style air intakes making
it still unmistakably a Ferrari. The F40 was not as pretty as
its rather shapelier predecessor, the
sublime 288 GTO, but that race-inspired
styling reflected the engineers’ focus.
With huge panel gaps, Nomex-covered
racing seats, plastic windows and
a spartan interior composed mainly
of composite materials, it was clear
that the F40 was a machine devised
for all-out performance rather than
boulevard cruising. Even carpets and
door panels were considered detrimental
to the purity of the F40 experience.
Beneath its Kevlar skin, the F40 was
almost as simple as its styling, with the
race-inspired tubular steel spaceframe
and box-section tubes concealed and protected by the flat
underfloor, which helped Ferrari achieve an overall drag
coefficient (Cd) of 0.34 in Pininfarina’s wind tunnel, even
with the huge wing looming over the rear.
For such an exotic car, its suspension was fairly
conventional, if expertly executed. The tubular steel double
wishbones front and rear were of unequal length and were
rubber-bushed rather than ball-jointed, with aluminum alloy
cast uprights. Up front, squeezed under the slender bonnetline,
the combined coil spring and Koni dampers were contained
within the wishbones, with the top pivot anchored just
above the top wishbone pivot axis, while the bottom end was
contained inside the outboard end of the lower wishbone.
At the rear there was ample room for springs and dampers
under the chunky clamshell, with the bottom ends pivoting
off the top wishbone, inboard of the outer wishbone pivot axis.
There was also space to mount the rear anti-roll bar high up,
where it passed between the five-speed transmission and the
center-mounted triple exhaust pipes (two for the cylinders
and one for the wastegate).
There wasn’t an extensive options list for the F40, but
post-1991 an electrohydraulic ride height adjustment could be
specified, which would automatically
adjust the car to the optimal height for
the road speed. As a nod to practicality,
the system could be overridden by
the driver – to navigate a speed
hump, for example – with two
settings 20.1mm either side of
the ‘normal’ position available.
The F40 was truly a car to experience
with the senses, so a pure rack and
pinion steering setup was fitted, with
no power assistance to compromise the
purity of feel.
Naturally the four-piston brakes were
also kept pure and non-servo-assisted,
with a pedal force of 42kg sufficient to generate 1g of stopping
punch, with front and rear ventilation helping keep the
horizontally drilled discs cool. The self-adjusting handbrake
worked on a pair of separate calipers, each placed on the
front side of its disc.
As a car that would appeal only to its most driving-focused
customers, and being its most expensive model, the planned
production of 400 units seemed sufficient at the 1987 reveal,
but such was the love for the F40 that 1,311 cars were sold.
As a celebration of 40 years, and the last car signed off by
Enzo Ferrari himself, the F40 was a triumph.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Altair....................................... Inside Front Cover
Automotive Testing Expo India 2018.................... 36
BorgWarner GmbH.............................................3
BWI Poland Technologies Sp. z o.o.... Inside Back Cover
D-Box Technologies Inc.................................... 36
dSpace GmbH................................................. 13
Dytran Instruments......................................... 26
Jtekt Europe................................................... 18
Kistler Instrumente AG..................................... 39
Mechanical Simulation Corporation..................... 26
Millbrook................................. Outside Back Cover
MTS Systems Corporation....................................7
MVO GmbH..................................................... 21
rFpro............................................................ 24
Racelogic.........................................................9
Siemens Industry Software NV........................... 15
The Future of Transportation
World Conference 2018.............................. 33, 44
Vehicle Dynamics International Online Reader Inquiry
Service..................................................... 39, 59
Wabco........................................................... 29
www.vehicledynamicsinternational.com......... 24, 62

VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •Annual Showcase 2018

 Investment continues in
high-profile facilities and
technology upgrades

• Powertrain Testing
• Safety Testing
• Vehicle Testing
Passionate about Safety, Customer Service
and Technical Excellence

www.millbrook.co.uk

170803_LCV Editorial A4_AW final v2.indd 1 12/10/2017 07:50