Mikael Nybacka

Distributed real-time vehicle validation

Due to the increasing complexity of embedded systems and software in vehicles, the automotive industry faces an increasing need for testing and verification of components and subsystems under reali ...

Design and Implementation of an Experimental Research and Concept Demonstration Vehicle

This paper introduces the Research Concept Vehicle (RCV), an experimental research and demonstration vehicle developed at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The vehicle is intended as a platform to implement, validate, and demonstrate research results from different research projects carried out at KTH. In its first generation, the RCV is a pure electric vehicle where each wheel is equipped with an in-wheel motor and individual steering and camber actuators. This high level of over actuation allows for a wide range of experimental evaluation in several fields of research, which is listed in this paper. Results from initial experimental test drives are also included.

Links between subjective assessments and objective metrics for steering, and evaluation of driver ratings

During the development of new vehicles, finding correlation links between subjective assessments (SA) and objective metrics (OM) is an important part of the vehicle evaluation process. Studying different correlation links is important in that the knowledge gained can be used at the front end of development, during testing and when creating new systems. Both SA from expert drivers using a rating scale of 1–10 and OM from different tests measured by a steering robot were collected using standard testing protocols at an automotive manufacturer. The driver ratings were evaluated and the correlations were analysed using regression analysis and neural networks through a case study approach. Links were identified and were compared with related research.

Collaboration in automotive winter testing : real-time simulations boosting innovation opportunities

The performance of cars has during recent years become increasingly dependent on complex electronic systems used especially for safety but also comfort, performance and informatics. Automotive winter testing activities in northern Sweden is vital to test and try out those systems. A contradiction to increased performance is that faulty software also causes 30 % of severe malfunctions in the functionality of the car. To deal with these problems, as early in the design process as possible, innovative methods to cope with digital abstraction and the physical world in a unified way seems promising. One useful approach, in automotive winter testing, might be to support the possibilities for real-time vehicle simulations of the car in motion.

Findings from subjective evaluations and driver ratings of vehicle dynamics: steering and handling

This paper investigates subjective assessments (SA) of vehicle handling and steering feel tests, both numerical and verbal, to understand drivers’ use of judgement scales, rating tendencies and spread. Two different test methods are compared: a short multi-vehicle first-impression test with predefined-driving vs the standard extensive single-vehicle free-driving tests, both offering very similar results but with the former saving substantial testing time. Rating repeatability is evaluated by means of a blind test. Key SA questions are identified by numerical subjective assessment autocorrelations and by generating word clouds from the most used terms in verbal assessments, with both methods leading to similar key parameters. The results exposed in this paper enable better understanding of SA, allowing improving the overall subjective testing and evaluation process, and improving the data collection and analysis process needed before identifying correlations between SA and objective metrics.

Electric Power Assist Steering System Parameterization and Optimisation Employing Computer-Aided Engineering

The automotive industry strives to develop high quality vehicles in a short period of time that satisfy the consumer needs and stand out in the competition. Full exploitation of simulation and Comp ...

Renewing industry cluster development via interregional industry-university links

The importance of developing regional industry clusters has grown alongside the need for industries and universities to be more interlinked. A regional automotive testing industry cluster, located ...

Improving Subjective Assessment of Vehicle Dynamics Evaluations by means of Computer-Tablets as Digital Aid

Vehicle dynamics development relies on subjective assessments (SA), which is a resource-intensive procedure requiring both expert drivers and vehicles. Furthermore, development projects becoming sh ...

Correlations of subjective assessments and objective metrics for vehicle handling and steering: a walk through history

Achieving customer satisfaction concerning steering feel and vehicle handling requires subjective assessments and tuning of vehicle components by expert test drivers and engineers. Extensive subjective testing is expensive, time consuming and requires physical vehicles, which is in conflict with reduction of development time and cost. Objective testing and model-based development are constantly increasing but translating subjective requirements into objective ones is non-trivial. This paper summarises, discusses and classifies the methods, strategies and findings in previously published research regarding correlations of subjective assessments and objective metrics for vehicle handling and steering. The aim is twofold: (i) to identify key parameters of steering, handling and their preferred values and (ii) to compile and discuss the fundamental issues to deal with in the continued search for correlations between objective metrics and subjective assessments. The paper gives a comprehensive overview and insight of different aspects to take into account when conducting research in this field.

Collaboration in automotive winter testing

The performance of cars has during recent years become increasingly dependent on complex electronic systems used especially for safety but also comfort, performance and informatics. Automotive winter testing activities in northern Sweden is vital to test and try out those systems. A contradiction to increased performance is that faulty software also causes 30 % of severe malfunctions in the functionality of the car. To deal with these problems, as early in the design process as possible, innovative methods to cope with digital abstraction and the physical world in a unified way seems promising. One useful approach, in automotive winter testing, might be to support the possibilities for real-time vehicle simulations of the car in motion.