Modular and Scalable Driving Simulator Hardware and Software for the Development of Future Driver Assistence and Automation Systems

Currently, new-build vehicles are more and more equipped with various driver assistance and automation systems, ranging from adaptive-cruise-control, stop-and-go, active brake assist and emergency-brake systems for longitudinal control, blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping systems for lateral control to parking assistance and advanced navigation systems. Through new emerging technologies, the integration of nomadic devices, Vehicle-2-X Communication in existing and new driver assistance and automation systems are the near future. The rising complexity due to more integrated, interactive and cooperative future assistance systems leads to increasing demands on driving simulators, used to develop and evaluate these devices in a time and cost efficient way. Thus, a number of driving simulators of the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems have been built or were upgraded with the major goal to provide a flexible, modular and scalable infrastructure, concerning both software and hardware, which enables a flexible set-up of the driving simulator according to the requirements of the test case – and not vice-versa! This paper describes the implemented simulator landscape, the supporting software architecture and simulation applications, which enable a model-based design for assistance and automation systems.