Synchronising Vehicles During Active Safety Systems Testing

Abstract: Proving-ground testing of Active Safety Systems is typically based on scenarios in which relative positioning and speed of all vehicles on the track is strictly defined. Current testing methods are not designed for human driven or autonomous Vehicles Under Test as they rely on the predictability of path-following driving robots to precisely control these parameters. As Active Safety Systems are both increasingly integrated with vehicle autonomy and are further augmenting human driving, these testing methods become less useful. This paper presents an approach for preserving most of the control of current methods while allowing for some level of uncertainty generated by an autonomous Vehicle Under Test. Utilising the master/ slave architectural pattern, slaved mock-up vehicles, or Test Targets, are synchronised with the Vehicle Under Test via a centralised Master Server. Using a design science methodology, this approach is described and then evaluated against the existing best practice. It represents a first move towards integrating autonomous vehicles into existing Active Safety Systems testing.