Company Press Releases

Mechanical Simulation Driving Simulation Technology Featured at 2011 ESV Conference

Ann Arbor, Mich. - July 15, 2011 Vehicle dynamics simulation technology from Mechanical Simulation Corporation was featured during the recent 2011 Enhanced Safety of Vehicles conference held in suburban Washington, D.C. Continental, a leading international supplier of safety systems to the global automotive industry, demonstrated its Emergency Steer Assist technology at the conference using a fixed base driving simulator, which was jointly engineered by Continental and Mechanical Simulation. The simulator featured a prototype demonstration vehicle connected to CarSim RT for Driving Simulators.

The driving simulator uses vehicle mounted radar sensors - simulated using CarSim’s Virtual Sensor technology - in conjunction with advanced algorithms that provide steering torque - to help driver’s avoid accidents. In the simulator the driver maneuvers a simulated vehicle through a custom driving scenario and is exposed to situations requiring emergency steering maneuvers. Continental engineers used the driving simulator’s real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) interfaces to read the driver’s throttle, braking, and steering inputs.“This exhibition was a perfect showcase demonstrating how developers of active safety systems can use an engineering quality driving simulator to design and demonstrate active safety technologies,” stated Robert McGinnis, Senior Account Manager for Mechanical Simulation.

“Overall, the simulator proved to be an extremely effective tool for Continental to demonstrate our upcoming technology to a wide range of potential customers and transportation officials,” said Jeff Weber of Continental's Advanced Engineering group. “As you would expect, it is difficult, dangerous, and expensive to demonstrate active safety technologies in real vehicles. By driving this custom scenario we developed with Mechanical Simulation, conference attendees gained an appreciation of the value of Emergency Steer Assist.”

About Mechanical Simulation Corporation: Mechanical Simulation Corporation is a technology leader in the development and distribution of advanced software used to simulate vehicle performance under a wide variety of conditions. The company was established in 1996, and from its Ann Arbor, Mich., headquarters provides car, truck and motorcycle simulation packages, training and ongoing support to more than 90 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, and over 160 universities and government research groups worldwide. For more information, visit www.carsim.com.