Background

The primary research and development center of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Group, Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF), had worked for several years with a specific configuration of Orolia’s GSG-6 Essential Simulator.

They needed more advanced capability to configure new autonomous driving tests and generate multiple coordinated scenarios simultaneously. Their final need was to simulate two self-driving vehicles arriving at an intersection at the same time. The CRF’s original plan was to reuse the equipment they already had, upgrade it and purchase an additional GSG-6 simulator to synchronize both scenarios using an additional external time server. They requested help from our Testing and Simulation experts to design and upgrade their simulation capabilities to address these new testing applications.

Solution

After in-depth consultation with the customer, it became clear that, in the very near future, they would need to simultaneously validate self-driving systems and simulate and manage entire fleets of moving vehicles. Instead of relying on two GSG-6 simulators coupled with a time server, Orolia recommended upgrading their testing infrastructure to our software-based advanced GSG-8 GNSS Simulator. The extraordinary flexibility and modularity of the GSG-8 platform, powered by the Skydel Software Engine, will allow them to increase their simulation capabilities over time and generate the extremely complex scenarios required for self-driving vehicle validation. For example, the GSG-8 enables them to generate multiple independent scenarios synchronized with each other. The customer can also simulate all types of scenarios on demand with the simple activation of a software option. The HIL (Hardware–in-the-loop) interface of the GSG-8 allows users to send real-time information such as vehicle position and attitude as the simulation progresses, with precise timestamps and high update rate (100-1000 Hz).

Result

With the GSG-8 platform, the CRF is now capable of testing multiple complex autonomous driving protocols faster and easier with a budget-friendly simulation solution. They can also quickly develop new scenarios without needing to re-invest in an expensive new solution. The modularity and upgradable software of the GSG-8 can adapt to their changing needs and the complexity of new testing requirements. Orolia’s forward-thinking, software-based GSG-8 offers them high-end performance while saving them time and money.