Open Road ADAS Testing

Open Road ADAS testing enables you to validate the accuracy of the latest vehicle safety systems in real-world environments, and is possible using either a Moving Base setup or NTRIP solution.

Moving Base Setup

Using a 'Moving Base' setup allows you to test ADAS applications on the open road. It works by linking two VBOX 3i RTK units, with the system in the subject vehicle transmitting corrections to the target vehicle at an update rate of 20 times per second.

This replaces the need to implement an RTK Base Station with a limited broadcast range, and provides engineers with the ability to test on normal roads, over reasonable distances, among other road users and roadside furniture, to under 5 cm relative positional accuracy.

The accuracy is enhanced by employing signals from the Russian GLONASS constellation as well as GPS; a method which uses refined delta positions obtained from carrier phase measurements. This reduces the noise levels of pseudo-range measurements (raw distances to each satellite) and removes positional jumps.

In order to use Moving Base, existing VBOX 3i RTK customers will need to the latest version of VBOX 3i and VBOX Manager firmware, as well as additional 2.4 GHz telemetry radios. IMU integration is not possible within a Moving Base setup.


Which ADAS applications can you test with a VBOX Moving Base setup?

You can validate the accuracy of almost any Advanced Driver Assistance System where you need to calculate vehicle separation for up to three vehicles, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Blind Spot Detection.

Please be aware that IMU integration is not possible within a Moving Base setup.

NTRIP Setup

One of the main advantages of using NTRIP (Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol) is that it uses a network of existing, publicly accessible RTK base stations that are already in place, which means there is no range restriction.

The VBOX NTRIP Modem enables the roving VBOX 3i RTK to send its position to these base stations – just as it would to a single VBOX Base Station. Your NTRIP service provider will then calculate the appropriate corrections for the VBOX’s location based on the data from nearby reference stations, and this correctional data is then returned to the VBOX in the same RTCM format that is used for a single fixed base station.

In order to use this type of correctional data, you have to register and subscribe to a cellular data plan with your local NTRIP provider, such as Topnet in the UK and Germany, Swepos in Sweden or Unavco in the USA.

Correction messages received via the RTK network can be an advantage if testing is conducted tens of kilometres away from the base station, over large changes in elevation or where topographical obstacles could get in the way.

If RTK coverage is available, the VBOX NTRIP Modem allows for vehicle testing that requires high positional accuracy – such as when validating critical safety systems like AEB/ACC - to be conducted where a VBOX Base Station cannot be deployed.


Which ADAS applications can you test using NTRIP?

You can validate the accuracy of almost any Advanced Driver Assistance System including Park Assist and Lane Departure Warning, in real-world environments, far away from your test track.