Off Road Hazards No Obstacle With CarSim Technology

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - With the proper measurements, Mechanical Simulation Corporation’s CarSim® can be programmed to simulate every turn, rise, bump and curve of race tracks, proving grounds or any type of road surface. The benefit of this technology is in the insight it gives engineers to how their vehicles will perform in a wide range of situations.

“Any type of road or environmental data can be utilized by CarSim in predicting the behavior of vehicles,” explained Tom Gillespie, Mechanical Simulation co-founder. “Once we have our measurements in place CarSim can predict every nuance of the driving experience so we can see how our vehicles will react and how conditions will stress the vehicle’s systems. It offers us the opportunity to make design adjustments before any expensive track testing.”

CarSim is Mechanical Simulation’s software package for simulating the dynamic vehicle behavior of cars, light trucks and utility vehicles. CarSim animates simulated tests and generates over 500 output variables that can be plotted and analyzed. The vehicle and chassis settings can also be optimized with any DOE (design of experiments) software. Engineers in design, development, testing and planning activities all use CarSim.

This ability to measure and apply road information was successfully put to the test when CarSim was utilized in two vehicles representing Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, in October’s DARPA Grand Challenge. The U.S. military-sponsored competition is designed to aid in the development of robotically-controlled, driverless vehicles that can be used to perform vital functions during wartime and in other military situations.

In its second year, the DARPA Grand Challenge had 23 finalists for the 165-mile course to be covered in 10 hours or less without human intervention. Of the four vehicles that completed the course in the allotted time, the CMU-sponsored vehicles finished in second and third place, just minutes behind the winning vehicle from Stanford University.

In preparing for the race, the CMU teams collected over 2,000 miles of three-dimensional road information that were entered into CarSim along with the functional design details of the vehicles. CarSim was able to predict how the vehicles handled the full range of course obstacles and weather conditions. “The course was extremely difficult and included hairpin turns, switchbacks and sheer drops,” said Gillespie. “That both vehicles were able to traverse the route in the time allotted, with no mishaps or unforeseen obstacles, is a real testament to the skill of the CMU engineers. We were very happy CarSim was able to help.”

According to Daniel Bartz, a member of the CMU race teams and a specialist in automated vehicles and road data collection, CarSim did much more than help them finish at the top of the DARPA Grand Challenge. “CarSim helped us see how the vehicle would react to every condition at various speeds,” he said. “We were able to understand when the vehicle was stressed so we could avoid accidents. Being able to predict vehicle reactions is a real asset because you’re getting realistic responses without the chance for accidents inherent in track testing. It’s a great example of win-win.”

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 and truck simulation software, training and ongoing support to more than 50 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, and over 60 universities and government research groups worldwide. For more information, visit www.carsim.com.