The continuous and exasperated (but necessary) technological development needs more and more advanced tools to maintain its exponential growth rate, tools that are more and more complex and consequently expensive.
An important step in this direction, in the automotive field, has been made by the Polytechnic of Milan thanks to the acquisition of a value that will prove to be fundamental for the development of new technologies concerning the construction of road vehicles (at least so far) more and more safe, eco-sustainable and pleasant to drive.
We are talking about what, to date, is the most advanced driving simulator on the market, conceived and engineered by VI-grade: the DiM400.
This 5 million euro "video game console" is able to reconstruct the most realistic and diverse driving scenarios, guaranteeing for each one the highest fidelity to the corresponding "real life" experience.
The necessity to have a tool of this entity is very simple: the attention in the constructive details and in the computer implementation of this device, make it the most suitable tool to start a real transition process in the field of vehicle design, from the tests carried out in reality, to the simulation.
Certainly however, finding ourselves in 2020, it is legitimate to think that this is not the first instrument of simulation for the design in the within of the automotive, and effectively a thought of the kind beyond being justified, is also more than correct. The real added value of DiM400, that makes it unique compared to any other simulator on the market, is the interface between the user (the one who gets behind the wheel of the cockpit mounted on the structure) and the simulator itself.
The greatest attention in the design phase by VI-grade, was in fact placed on the search for the most effective way to transmit the most realistic driving sensation possible to the user of the DiM400, using new lifting devices of the cabin called "Hexalift", able to increase the stroke of the actuators for the movement in the vertical direction, and an ingenious system of horizontal movement based on the use of ropes (not rigid) with high resistance.
The use of this wired system allows to confer greater accelerations to the structure and to render more natural and fluid (or dynamic in base to the settings) the movements of the cockpit to the final aim to render the simulation experience more similar to the reality.
All this is clearly facilitated by a 360° immersion in the virtual driving environment including traffic simulation, traffic signals, pedestrian simulation and other typical elements of an urban or, if necessary, extra-urban scenario.
In this video it can be had verification of how much said, observing with particular attention the light oscillation of the cabin due to the execution of some tight curves (second 0.45) to the aim to recreate the centrifugal effect given just in phase of curving.
This attention to detail clearly allows the user to face the experience as if he were driving his own car, according to his own habits and relying on his own physical abilities among which, in particular, reflexes. So, combining the subjectivity of each in the way of driving, more technical settings supported by the device as the type of tires, the type of engine, fuel, environmental conditions, road surface and countless other parameters, you have the possibility to have, for example, a complete mapping to 100% on fuel consumption, or perform tests for the enhancement of advanced assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving.
The most important uses for this jewel that encompasses the best skills in the mechanical-electrical-computer science will be mainly, in addition to those already mentioned, the pure research on vehicle dynamics and the development of cars for sustainable mobility both for civilian use and in view of a possible transition to "sustainable motorsport".
The Dim400 will undoubtedly be a junction between the Polytechnic and important exponents in the automotive sector; combining the material possibilities offered by this new technology to the skills brought into play by the two parties, the contribution to innovation will be assured and of strong impact.
Written by Lorenzo Campioni of the VGen Engineering Hub
