Robots help upgrade crash-testing for cars

Crash test dummies are no longer dumb. Recent efforts have brought high-tech solutions to improve the interpretation and testing parameters for vehicles. 

UK-based AB Dynamics partnered with car-racing company NASCAR to conduct a driverless, on-track crash test of its Next Gen race car using driving robots earlier this year. The driving robots used were for steering, for pedals and the Gearshift Robot. The off-the-shelf products required minimal modification to fit in the vehicle.

Importantly, the robots are unobtrusive, and so did not interfere with the positioning or results from the crash test dummy, according to the company. The test requirement was to drive the race car at 130 miles per hour (209 kilometres per hour) to a precise impact point into a barrier. To control the vehicle’s speed and direction it was fitted with steering, shifting and pedal (throttle, brake and clutch) robots. 

“Our robots are largely used for the development of passenger and commercial vehicles and are regularly used for durability, misuse and driver assistance system testing,” Craig Hoyt, AB Dynamics’ business development manager, said in a statement. “This is one of the highest-speed crash tests we have ever conducted and the robots only suffered minor damage.”

Improved road safety has become a global priority, with the United Nations driving a multi-stakeholder collaboration. At the recent UN General Assembly on Road Safety, Secretary General António Guterres said, “Safer roads promote sustainable development. Our goals are clear: cut road traffic deaths and injuries by half by 2030 and promote sustainable mobility with safety at its core.”

The role of the automotive industry in supporting the use of emerging technologies by regulators can improve the quality of vehicles across the world. Already, India has announced the adoption of stringent standards on road safety. The Bharat New Car Assessment Platform (NCAP) is expected to use cutting-edge technology to the testing process. 

Not just physical, but new types of simulation technologies are being experimented with for crash testing. NASCAR has also used the simulation software of Ansys for testing various parts. Ansys conducted more than 5,000 crash test simulations for NASCAR. And then it took only two physical crash tests to verify and validate that the design was safe and the results of simulations were accurate, according to Ansys. 

Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) systems are assessing the impact of various crashes on human bodies. Globally there is a demand to use crash test dummies using the female shape to analyse impact on different body types. The crash test dummies are broadly based on an average male who is 5.9 feet tall.

Moreover, new cars use different materials like ultra-high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum and are built differently. Therefore, the traditional models of testing are being reviewed and improved. Virtual crash test models are becoming increasingly important for testing bodies and the automotive industry. New technologies and data analytics are providing the industry with much more granular crash data for various models, shapes and sizes of vehicles. 

Several global car makers have developed their own virtual testing models and are making these available to the industry. The focus on safety in India is also driving car makers to higher standards. Leading companies are subjecting their vehicles to stringent crash testing.

Virtual crash testing using AI models and robotics will bring much needed modernisation to the automotive industry. Cars have become increasingly sophisticated, with automated driving systems helping drivers take better decisions. The data from such systems combined with improved information from emerging tech testing systems can make vehicles safer. Crash test dummies can now be virtual and smarter.