Scania is one of the world’s leading providers of transportation solutions in over 100 nations, including trucks and buses for heavy transport applications.
The use of simulation in vehicle development is growing rapidly, and in the design and development of trucks and buses, simulation can play a critical role in optimising the design loop, reducing cost and projecting solutions with greater certainty.
Nonetheless, defining the simulator to the desired research and development objectives is essential in order to be certain of the reliability of the outcome.
Due to IDT’s track record in simulator design and qualification and, in particular, the [simulation roadmap] which we have developed, Scania approached IDT to define the requirements for future simulation capabilities. On the basis of specific research questions related to the safety of the vehicle, pedestrians and other road users, a structured road map was created. Surprisingly, several of the simulator requirements pointed to low-cost devices, requiring basic fidelity in some areas, with higher fidelity in others. For example, to investigate the visibility of a distant object may require a very straightforward visual display system, while evading a moose on a country road may require a complex simulator with a powerful visual, motion and control system.
Through this process, IDT was able to deliver to Scania a simulation specification based on the research needs on a project-by-project basis, as well as the tool kit for designing and specifying future simulators.