ADAS
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are groups of electronic technologies that assist drivers in driving and parking functions. Through a safe human-machine interface, ADAS testing increases car and road safety. Advanced driver-assistance systems use automated technology, such as sensors and cameras, to detect nearby obstacles or driver errors and respond accordingly.
Let’s talk about thevision-based portable driver assistance system that users can buy and place in front of the dashboard.This device capturesthestreet view and processes further to identify the obstacles.Onceit finds theobstacles,thesystem raises a warning to the driver to act accordingly.Also, thedeviceidentifiespedestrian crossing, traffic signals, road curves, road signs,lane departures, lane centering,and more.
Injuries are common in most road accidents. They not only impact the economy of the victim but the country as well. The accidents are mainly caused due tohumannegligence.This driver assistance system helps overcome or minimize road accidents. This technology provides assistance to the driver as an early real-time warning. To makeit morereliable, the system must go through comprehensive testing.
Existingtest
This system is currently tested by creating artificial facilities equipped with signboards, curved roads, traffic lights, etc. They also simulate some actual scenarios, such as the sudden stop of previous vehicles, human/animal road crossing, etc.The tester runs thetestcarin this facility,which is equippedwith advanced driver-assistance systems. Now the vision-based ADAS shows the notification with the scenariosimulated in the facility to be noted by the tester.
In some cases,the tester records all thesescenariosby placing the camera in the test car dashboard and making a video.For frequent testing, they play this video in front of the ADAS system using the TV or the monitor. The ADAS start showing the notification with the scenarioplayed in the recorded video, to be noted by the tester again as the test result.
Problems with existingtesting
In this testing approach,it’snot possible tocreatealltheexpected scenariosin the artificial facility; if we want to change the testing scenario, we must modify the facility or takeanother videowith all new simulated scenarios. It will be like a loop process to test thecompleteproduct.
Solution
There are somerobotic softwaresimulatorsavailable in the market that can be used to overcome the above issues. Thesoftware-basedartificial facility can be created usingsimulatorscontaining the 3D model of all thereal-worldcomponents, such as traffic lights, signboards, different-sizedlane roads, buildings, cars, humans, etc. All these componentsform factors, and their functionalities can be customized by using the configuration and the control software.
After creating the simulatedfacility, the tester canrun the simulator test cars on the simulated streets. The tester can also add the camerasin the test car in different views, such asback camera, dashboard camera, side-view camera, etc. The video recorded by the camera can be played in front of the ADAS system using the TV monitors to do frequent testing.
Testscenarios that can be simulated usinga software-basedrobotic simulator
Curve speedassistance
In the simulator environment, the tester can create different angles of curved roads in the simulated facility. Here, the tester can run the test car equipped with a dashboard camera to record this scenario,which can beplayed backin front of the ADAS.
Pedestrianand cyclist collection warning
Multiplepedestrians are added to thesimulatedroads with respect to the testrequirement. Along with this, different human and animal crossings can also be simulated whilethe test car passes,such as kids, adults, aged people, different animals, etc.Additionally, multiple cyclists can be added to the simulated roads. Through the control code, the cyclists can interrupt the test car by switching lanes, sudden turns, etc. The camera must record all these scenarios, which can be played back to the ADAS during the testing.
Forwardcollisionwarning
Simulator facilities can be highway roadsor city roads to test the collision scenario. The tester can add multiple vehicles to the simulated roads. The control code of each vehicle can help the tester to simulate the test scenarios, such as lane switchingby other vehicleswith/without signal, sudden braking ofthe previousvehicle,frequentsignals, etc.All these scenarios can be recorded and played back to the ADAS.
Speedlimitwarning
Different types of speed signboards can be added to the simulated highways and streetsirrespective of location.Then the tester can runthetest car in the simulated street and record the scenario for the testing.
Testing lane departure warning and lane-keep assist systems
In the simulator,different sizes of lanes can be simulated,where the tester can run the test car into it. Along with this, the test car lane departure and other testsituationscan besimulated.
Traffic signal testing
Inthesimulatedroads, multiple junctions can be created, and signals can be added. Through theconfigurationcontrol codes, these signals can be controlled while the test car passes through them.
Climatic condition simulation
All the above test situations can be recorded inday/nightand other climatic conditions, such as snow, fog, and rain. These climatic conditions can be simulated in the artificial facility and controlled through configuration, such as altering the density of the rain, fog, snow, etc.
