The Virtual Proving Ground (VPG) is the digital twin of the physical Proving Ground at IDIADA’s headquarters in Spain. A single source of information to help engineers in their simulation tasks by using road/track information for multiple virtual vehicle development activities. Our Virtual Proving Ground package includes seamless integration with most simulation software, flexibility in customizing multiple formats and content available in different applications and accuracies for each case, with easy access worldwide either through partners or IDIADA itself.
The very first scanning campaign took place in 2012, although it has been updated and synchronized several times since then with various modifications due to track refurbishment works and the construction of new tracks. As a result, a periodic re-scanning and modelling is required to provide all users with up-to-date information they can trust for their digital vehicle development activities.
The main reason for the virtualization of the physical proving ground was primarily the global demand from vehicle simulation experts to use the same tracks in both real tests and their simulations. Previously, it was not computationally worthwhile to run comfort and durability simulations with realistic and accurate digital twins.
A whole new range of simulation possibilities
The Virtual Proving Ground reproduces micro and macroscopic unevenness and irregularities of the real surfaces, supporting correlation activities by using an appropriate representation of the road inputs. It also helps gain confidence in simulation and enhances the potential of the virtual development of components, control systems and full vehicles.
These virtual roads can be used from very early stages of the vehicle development process in order to identify and solve problems at a later stage. This saves the financial and time costs associated with on-road/track test sessions & design process.
The integration of the IDIADA Spain Virtual Proving Ground with testing and simulation software has strengthened virtual development and validation activities by offering new virtual scenarios for various applications such as comfort, durability, and tyre development simulations, together with driving simulator activities and ADAS & Autonomous Driving system development.
Our Proving Ground digital twin also supports development and maintenance activities by having the most important surfaces scanned in high resolution.
Main applications of the IDIADA Spain Virtual Proving Ground:
- Comfort and ride analysis using 3D mesh representation of the roads.
- Active system development and test planning.
- Integration into driver-in-the-loop (DIL real-time systems) using proprietary driving simulator formats representing the complete 3D environment, including the road surface.
- ADAS, autonomous driving system development and validation using High-Definition maps introducing the logics of driving, main road geometries, intersections, etc.
- Tyre development by using detailed representation of small road sections, such as microstructural information up to 60 micrometres, as contact patch trajectories.
- Virtual Surfaces Data, IDIADA Spain VPG reproduces the micro and macroscopic unevenness and irregularities of the real surfaces, mainly as CRG and RGR formats.
- Driving Simulator 3D Environment for main Driving Simulator software applications.
- HD Maps, Opendrive format to be used under ADAS/AD simulations as well as other formats (e.g. HD maps) & track characteristics such as signalling or environment information can also be obtained upon request under standard or customized formats.
The integration of IDIADA Spain Proving Ground digital twin with testing and simulation software has strengthened virtual development and validation activities by offering new virtual scenarios for multiple applications such as comfort and durability simulations, ADAS & Autonomous Driving system development, and driving simulator activities. It supports development activities by having the most important surfaces scanned in high resolution.