Abstract
A Roadway Handling Test Rig (RHTR) for testing vehicle responses to driving inputs reproduced on flat belt units is described. The main components of the RHTR are four large flat belts simulating a road and a device applying forces and moments to the vehicle's centre of gravity. To stabilize the vehicle's horizontal motion the RHTR control system reproduces in real time the path and speed of its centre of gravity and significant forces acting on it by calculation of control parameters based on measured movements of the vehicle. A mathematical model of the vehicle and the RHTR control system determines time histories of the vehicle and RHTR behaviour and compares test bench outputs with road tests.