312 Development of Driving Simulator with Full Vehicle Model of Multibody Dynamics

SHIIBA, Taichi; SUDA, Yoshihiro · 2001 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1299/jsmekanto.2001.7.95

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Summary

This paper presents the development of a driving simulator that utilizes a full vehicle model based on multibody dynamics to enable real-time simulation of automobile behavior. The primary motivation is to create a "Virtual Proving Ground" that allows for the evaluation of vehicle dynamics and riding comfort through sensory tests without the need for physical prototyping. While multibody system analysis offers thorough investigation of vehicle characteristics, its high degrees of freedom typically prevent real-time execution on standard computers. To address this, the authors propose a method to approximate constraint conditions, thereby reducing computational load while maintaining accuracy. The methodology involves combining two distinct vehicle models to facilitate real-time operation. First, a multibody dynamics model analyzes the relative positions of vehicle bodies around an equilibrium point, utilizing an approximation of constraint conditions where the Jacobian matrix of geometric constraint equations is held constant. This approach interprets system motion as movement on a tangent hyperplane rather than a complex hypersurface. Second, a planar motion model calculates the vehicle’s absolute coordinates using total weight and inertia moments. Tire forces are computed using a Magic Formula model, incorporating alignment changes and contact loads derived from the multibody analysis. The vehicle model represents a standard passenger car with double wishbone suspension on all four wheels, comprising 91 degrees of freedom. The simulation program, written in MATLAB and deployed via Real-Time Workshop, uses the Runge-Kutta method for numerical integration, achieving a computation time of 14.5ms per step, allowing for a 20ms simulation step width. Experiments were conducted using a six-degree-of-freedom motion simulator to evaluate the system’s responsiveness. Slalom driving tests were performed to observe roll angle responses under varying vehicle parameters. The results demonstrated that the simulator accurately reflected changes in vehicle dynamics: increasing spring rates by 33% reduced roll angles, while lowering the roll center height to 0mm significantly altered roll behavior even with unchanged spring rates. Crucially, drivers were able to distinctly perceive and identify these changes in roll angle response through sensory feedback. The significance of this work lies in the ability to use actual vehicle specifications as model parameters, allowing for easy modification of complex suspension geometry characteristics in real-time without pre-calculated maps. This capability enables researchers to investigate the correlation between driver sensory thresholds and actual vehicle parameters, offering a powerful tool for automobile development and the subjective evaluation of handling and comfort prior to physical manufacturing.

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• simulator validity fidelity

Information type

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• Methodological Resource: tool software, validation psychometrics
• Theoretical Contribution: computational model