A computer simulation technique which simulates a vehicle in real-time is presented. The vehicle has been divided into a number of subsystems, and each subsystem is modelled separately. Along with the models, the hardware components of several control units were linked together to provide a generic real-time Hardware-In-The-Loop (HITL) vehicle simulation. Such a model provides the capability to verify analytical and experimental data, and adjust the hardware of certain vehicle components on the test bench. It also provides powerful, complex and dynamic real-time simulations while being portable. This paper outlines the major features of the simulation models, showing a typical application for Traction Assist (TA) development. The simulation model was verified for a TA event by taking measurements from an on-board computer while the vehicle was driven on various types of road surfaces. The results obtained experimentally corresponded well with those obtained through simulation. Due to length limitations, only the results for the dry asphalt and packed snow type surfaces are shown. (A)
Abstract