Ansible Motion, a leader in Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulation environments and Mdynamix, a specialist in real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) solutions, have formalised a long-standing relationship to enhance the development of steering, braking and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This new partnership enables engineers to experience and evaluate representative vehicle systems early and often during the development process by combining real, deployable hardware and software with virtual vehicle assessment capabilities.
This agreement comes at a time when Ansible Motion is experiencing unprecedented demand for its trusted driving simulators from OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers across China, Korea, the USA and Europe. Driven by the versatility and immersive capabilities of its DIL simulators, along with the decreasing availability of physical prototypes, time-constrained engineers are discovering new ways to define, refine and validate vehicle features much earlier in the development cycle – when changes are more cost-effective.
Reflecting this growing reliance on DIL simulators is an increased demand to shift certain testing and development procedures into simulation and virtual development spaces. This is driving new innovations to expand the possible use cases for comprehensive simulations and enhance virtual vehicle assessment capabilities. To meet these evolving market and customer requirements, it is essential to ensure seamless workflows across traditional simulation environments – such as Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Model-in-the-Loop (MIL), advanced HIL and DIL simulations – all the way through to physical vehicle testing.
The collaboration with MdynamiX addresses a pressing need to experience and calibrate real steering and braking systems without access to physical vehicles. “Prototype vehicles often arrive too late in a development program, or with restrictive scheduling constraints that limit the time available for fine-tuning the attributes that are crucial to establishing brand identities,” says Dan Clark, managing director of Ansible Motion.
“With MdynamiX, we have found an experienced partner whose HIL solutions can be seamlessly integrated with our DIL simulators. We have the largest installation base of dynamic DIL simulators across the globe, which gives us a unique perspective on applications, use cases and customer requirements. By utilising our in-house, real-time integration capabilities, along with MdynamiX’s expertise in HIL systems, we are creating an expanded set of digital product development tools. Following several years of fruitful collaboration with MdynamiX, we are now poised to embark on a new phase of exciting joint projects to benefit our customers.”
MdynamiX’s comprehensive steering and wet braking solutions offer dynamic real-time HIL capabilities that can be seamlessly integrated into Ansible Motion’s DIL simulator environments. The realistic feedback resulting from the integration of real components and control software provides development and test engineers with a highly innovative simulation environment, as well as the possibility of complete-vehicle subjective and objective evaluations in a virtual environment. Additionally, it facilitates the preliminary calibration and implementation of Electric Power Steering (EPS) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) systems in a human-centric manner.
MdynamiX CEO Professor Bernhard Schick, adds: “We are taking a further step in our close partnership with Ansible Motion, one of the world’s leading simulator manufacturers. We will contribute our methodological expertise in end-to-end MIL/SIL/HIL simulation and test driving on the driving simulator, especially in the areas of steering, chassis, vehicle dynamics, comfort, ADAS/AD and UX/HMI. As a specialist in steering feel, we know how important good steering feel in the driving simulator is for acceptance and good results.
“With our end-to-end MIL/SIL/HIL solutions, we create the world’s best steering feel, taking Ansible Motion’s driving simulators to a new level. Especially when classical MIL/SIL/HIL simulation reaches its limits and the subjective impression and tuning competence of the test driver is the next step, the driving simulator with real components generates a significant advantage. The result is earlier, better decisions and faster development.”
