The VBOX 3i RTK provides highly accurate measurements of speed, position, heading and many more parameters. It is trusted by proving grounds and test laboratories, as well as vehicle and tyre manufacturers, for conducting a wide range of automotive tests including vehicle dynamics, ADAS and Autonomous development. With an update rate of 100 Hz, position accuracy to within 2 cm, IMU integration and driving robot compatibility, the VBOX 3i RTK can be used for almost any automotive application that requires precision and accuracy.
The high torque and steering wheel speed required to perform ESC testing means that a robot such as the ABD SR60 is essential. ABD take the CAN output from a VBOX 3i RTK for speed, heading, yaw and roll rate at 100 Hz and feed it into the robot which conducts and guides the whole test.
The car is 'characterised', by determining the necessary steering angle to achieve the required amount of lateral g (known as a 'Slowly Increasing Steer' procedure). A “Sine with Dwell” test is then performed with increasing yaw and displacement, on both right and left turns.
With this combination of high-accuracy VBOX data and a driving robot, the FMVSS126 test procedures can be conducted with precision and consistency.
Meeting the Euro NCAP standards requires the use of steering and pedal robots to maintain accurate conditions for speed, drive line, distance and braking, as laid out in the test requirements.
The VBOX 3i RTK can be used with driving robots from NCAP approved manufacturers such as Anthony Best Dynamics, to achieve the necessary level of consistency required when conducting such tests.
In 2017, Jaguar Land Rover approached Racelogic and VEHICO with the desire to perform a barrel-roll of their new E-Pace car, similar to the stunt originally carried out in the 1974 James Bond feature film “The Man with the Golden Gun”, in which a car is launched from a ramp, spinning through 270° before landing wheels-down.
Remarkable for its time, the original stunt is purportedly the first of its kind to have been computer-modelled. JLR set about recreating it using modern computing methods – but due to the complexity and risk involved, for the initial test runs it was deemed necessary to use a steering and throttle robot.
A test area was built at Santa Pod, the drag strip in Northamptonshire UK, with a ramp and enormous, custom-built airbag to catch the car after launching.
A VEHICO driving robot was installed along with a VBOX 3i RTK to ensure that the car hit the ramp at precisely the same point and speed every time – a feat not possible by even the best stunt drivers.
This consistency also allowed the ramp design team to make changes based on data with no human error involved.
