EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, June 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — MTS Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: MTSC), a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and sensors, and McLaren Applied Technologies, experts in high-performance design and technology, have collaborated to develop a ground-breaking, all-electric automotive driving simulator. The Vehicle Dynamics Simulator (VDS) will be used by vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers to conduct real-world driving simulations of vehicle performance and provide engineers with more insights earlier in the design cycle. These early insights help engineers reduce new product introduction time and cost of development, and produce a vehicle with improved driver experience. The VDS will also be a vital tool in the development of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems).
The VDS employs a “driver-in-the-loop” approach, allowing a driver to participate directly in the test so engineers can gather subjective (human) evaluations of components, systems and full-vehicles before prototypes are available. By coupling human input with the simulation results, new product designs can be evaluated and issues resolved early in the development process. The flexibility of the VDS allows engineers to evaluate everything from improving suspension and vehicle steering, to integrating the software and sensors needed to bring ADAS active safety systems, such as active braking and lane assistance, into the mainstream.
The fully operational system installed at the McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, UK, provides prospective customers a state-of-the-art simulation experience that is made possible through proprietary technologies from both MTS and McLaren. McLaren Applied Technologies’ motion-cueing algorithms translate driver input into simulator commands that help create the illusion of vehicle motion. MTS system controls reproduce the motion commands with high fidelity and minimum latency, allowing objective data to be gathered and evaluated. The simulator also incorporates MTS’ patented mechanical Hardware-in-the-Loop (mHIL) Technology which allows a physical automotive component or subsystem to be tested as part of the simulation environment. The result is a compact, end-to-end simulation environment for development and troubleshooting that is unlike anything previously seen on the market.
“With the rapid rise in automotive technology, the industry is increasingly relying upon simulation, in conjunction with laboratory testing, as an alternative to its historical dependence upon test tracks to bring new products to market. This approach allows test engineers to cover more design iterations in a shorter period of time,” explained Dr. Jeffrey Graves, MTS President and CEO. “Responding to that trend, VDS makes use of McLaren’s longstanding leadership in F1 racing and the experience that its engineering team has gained in dealing with challenges on the racetrack, alongside our own state-of-the-art automobile test technologies.”
“This highly sophisticated unit provides a real value proposition to all the organizations participating in different stages of vehicle development,” adds Dick Glover, CTO of McLaren Applied Technologies. “It will prove highly advantageous not only to the smaller companies who have limited capital to invest in the hardware needed for real world tests, but also the larger established companies as they can get test procedures completed in a much shorter timeframe.”
About MTS Systems Corporation
MTS Systems Corporation’s testing hardware, software and services solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products and structures. MTS’s high-performance sensors provide controls for a variety of applications measuring motion, pressure, position, force and sound. MTS had 3,500 employees as of October 1, 2016 and revenue of $650 million for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2016. Additional information on MTS can be found at www.mts.com.
About McLaren Applied Technologies
McLaren Applied Technologies is on a relentless mission to improve people’s lives by combining their fresh thinking and technology to solve crucial challenges.
Decades of competition in the world’s most technologically advanced sport have given McLaren the ability to see and maximise the potential of an increasingly connected world.
And working with like-minded visionaries, McLaren goes beyond the limits of what was considered possible to turn ideas into reality by developing intelligent products and processes.
For more information, visit: http://www.mclaren.com/appliedtechnologies
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SOURCE MTS Systems Corporation
Brian Ross, Investor Relations, 952.937.4000