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Inside the 2014 Ford Transit van, the durability robot hums and whirs as it guides the van across brutal durability obstacles.
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“Some of the tests we do on our commercial trucks for North America are so strenuous that we limit the exposure time for human drivers,” says Dave Payne, Manager, Vehicle Development Operations for Ford Motor Company. “The challenge is completing testing to meet vehicle development timelines while keeping our drivers comfortable.”
Ford announced to the New York Times this weekend the three-year long partnership they have had with ASI to perform driverless durability testing using vehicle robotics.
The technology is designed to help meet Ford’s timeline and safety goals by robotically controlling new vehicle models on some of the most punishing durability test tracks Ford has to offer.
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“[Ford is] trying to put thousands of miles of abuse on the vehicle as fast as possible so it really beats up on the system,” said Mel Torrie, CEO of Autonomous Solutions, Inc. “It takes the durability to a whole new level.”
The testing robots are comprised of a series of rugged mechanical and hydraulic actuators that perform basic driving functions, such as changing gears, steering, accelerating, and braking.
Durability testing requirements state that no special modifications be made to the vehicle being tested, so all actuators and moving parts must be retrofit to a vehicle straight off the factory floor. The first-in-industry program was used most recently to test the durability of the 2014 Ford Transit van.
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A single operator can control multiple unmanned vehicles from a Mobius commmand station.
While the primary reason for robotic testing is to preserve the health of test drivers, Ford has identified several additional benefits from their vehicle automation program. “Robotic testing allows us to accelerate durability testing while simultaneously increasing the productivity of our other programs by redeploying drivers to those areas, such as noise level and vehicle dynamics testing,” said Payne.
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The durability testing robots receive commands from ASI’s Mobius™. Using GPS and radio signals to relay position and communications, a single operator can control multiple vehicles simultaneously from a central command center. Operators can repeat testing events under exact conditions, improving the overall accuracy of testing results.
“We’re very excited to work with Ford for autonomous vehicle testing,” said Torrie. “The reliability, durability and performance enhancements we’ve developed with Ford will not only help them reach their safety and accuracy goals, but will also improve vehicle automation in other areas such as mining, agriculture and the U.S. military.”
Related stories:
Popular Mechanics; USA Today; Motor Trends; GizMag; Wired
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It can be a bumpy ride inside Ford’s test vehicle, but that’s due to the rugged obstacles the vehicle must drive over.
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