Autonomous driving.

In the context of automated driving, cameras and sensors afford vehicles a near-human level of perception. Intelligent algorithms evaluate situations and prioritise different courses of action. Working together with you, we’ll advance towards our goal of developing self-driving cars capable of reacting independently to different traffic situations. Autonomous vehicles are set to make a lasting impact on the future of automobiles.

 

Our autonomous driving services.

  • Requirement engineering

  • Functional development and application

  • Software development

  • Rapid prototyping

  • Virtual validation 

  • Test systems

  • Component testing

  • Development mule construction

  • Drive testing

 

Colour theory in vehicles

In the course of the megatrend of autonomous driving, in-vehicle lighting will take on new roles in addition to aesthetic considerations. Rather than solely serving to improve convenience, lighting will become increasingly functional. Light effects will form a method of communication between the driver and their vehicle. In future, light signals will convey information, for example relating to proximity sensors, journey status, vehicle status and even incoming telephone calls. Thanks to a newly developed test bench and the requisite test automation, our ASAP specialists can cover significantly more ground in testing processes and smooth the way for autonomous driving.
 

Acid tests of driver-assistance systems

With 25 vehicles travelling 3,000 routes through 60 countries, in global test runs our ASAP specialists validate 15 driver-assistance systems and the underlying environmental sensors in the vehicle. ADAS systems are important for autonomous driving, among other areas, and are a key focus for ASAP. All test vehicles are driven on different routes, at different times of day and night, in all weather conditions and in all terrain, using different driving profiles. The reason for conducting test runs on this enormous scale? The camera, RADAR and LiDAR systems these driver-assistance systems require need to function flawlessly at all times and in all kinds of different situations. Therefor they must be tested accordingly. When testing and validating these systems, it is important to take into account regional differences such as climate, road conditions and road signs.
 

Aleatory functional validation

Our ASAP specialists have developed a validation method for complex system functions on the basis of reinforcement learning. Using artificial intelligence makes it possible to validate complex event chains including the lateral influence of different control units in a comprehensive and time-saving manner. Self-learning algorithms systematically search for critical stimulations that lead to errors in the event chain. Aleatory functional validation thereby facilitates validation through a number of parameter and stimulation spaces – an important step towards autonomous driving.
 

Vehicle conversion for autonomous driving

Autonomous driving functions are making vehicle technology increasingly complex, with testing requirements also rising accordingly. For one of our customers’ research projects, our ASAP specialists fitted vehicles with measurement technology and sensors for autonomous driving. Our service package also included reworking the vehicle in large areas of the body in white, interior and its electrical and electronic systems – wherever necessary, in fact. The goal was to integrate the components in the vehicle as subtly as possible, making it look as if they had always been there.
 

Validation of sensor-based driving functions

Partially automated driving and autonomous driving are current focus topics for many manufacturers. We support our customers in two respects: firstly by designing and producing testing systems, and secondly by planning and integrating test automation. These test benches are primarily geared towards components such as camera-based sensors, RADAR sensors and ultrasound sensors. What’s more, their design can be adapted and can facilitate simulations that allow a vehicle to complete virtual test runs all around the world. The goal is to cover the full range of testing by automating testing as far as possible – and thereby drive forward development in the field of autonomous driving together with you.
 

Validation of software functions for autonomous driving

The increasing complexity of highly automated driving functions represents a major challenge when it comes to testing and validating them. ASAP specialists, however, can simulate driving functions in a virtual environment. Their goal is to validate driving functions before the vehicle’s hardware components even exist in the real world. Our engineers test software using an wide array of different scenarios. This approach allows us to comprehensively validate software elements of new driving functions in the earliest stages of development and guarantee in-depth testing, in part because simulations can be conducted faster than real-time testing.
 

Autonomous driving with e-motors

The combination of two megatrends, autonomous driving and e-mobility, presents new challenges for functional validation. The software-based functions and sensors required for automated driving meet the virtual sensors installed in electric vehicles. In one of our current projects, we’re using artificial intelligence in a test scenario that sees self-driving cars with e-motors perform an overtaking manoeuvre against oncoming traffic. Our ASAP specialists validate the combination of forecasting models that describe the physical effects in such scenarios, taking a wide range of factors into account. In this work, we create statistical models that map out which factors need to be considered in the validation process. We then use machine learning approaches to identify which of the configurations lead to errors and which might be critical for vehicle operation. The use of machine learning approaches has already taken on a central role in the megatrend of autonomous driving. Working together with you, we will develop autonomous vehicles and shape the mobility of the future.
 

Autonomous driving in wire harness development

The challenges in developing wire harnesses are growing – and not only due to the volume of new vehicle variants and functions. The megatrend of autonomous driving entails one further increase in complexity, namely that all safety-related functions in autonomous vehicles require redundant protection. On top of that, consistency of data must be ensured from the start of development – a requirement of compliance with ISO 26262. Thanks to our proprietary AWA software – full name ASAP Wire Architect – we are well prepared to face this. AWA facilitates partial automation of wire harness development. The software communicates with the development tools used in design areas and automates the import and export of all data, the reconciliation of 2D drawings, and the subsequent amendments to data across all tools. One of the AWA modules facilitates automated data loading via the PartExplorer application into Catia. As a result, ASAP Wire Architect ensures consistent data for the development of wire harnesses in self-driving cars.
 

Mobility of the future.

Join us to develop sustainable mobility solutions for future generations. Whether pure electric vehicles or hybrid cars, our ASAP specialists will support you with their years of experience and extensive expertise throughout the development process and beyond. In addition to new drivetrain concepts, we also offer support in developing new services and business models. Take a look at our projects and see for yourself the services we offer in the fields of e-mobility and connectivity.