Why protect engines during hot testing and cold storage?

Residual water left after hot engine testing and fill-and-flush operations can contribute to corrosion of internal engine components during storage. According to Cortec, VpCI-649 BD leaves a protective film of vapor-phase corrosion inhibitors that helps protect engine internals, including where residual moisture is present.

A cure for engine corrosion

In May 2023, a major manufacturer of off-road engines began full-scale testing of VpCI-649 BD to address corrosion concerns. The product is reportedly used as a 3% solution in the cooling system during hot testing and as a 5% solution, combined with glycol, for engines stored in cold climates. Eight months into the trial, the engine maker pronounced its corrosion problem cured. Although VpCI-649 BD was initially used to protect the cast iron of very large engine blocks, it is now being considered for smaller engines with aluminum components, such as those in the automotive industry.

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The MagicCAR Compact Plus covers network, infotainment, functional, quality and endurance testing for ECUs, supporting OEMs and suppliers across the development process from initial validation through to series production.

The compact benchtop test system features an integrated, programmable power supply with switchable terminal signals and precise current measurement. At the same time, it provides realistic residual bus simulations, including diagnostics and SecureOnboardCommunication (SecOC), across all relevant automotive communication protocols: CAN-FD, LIN, FlexRay and Automotive Ethernet.

In combination with expandable fault modules, targeted interface and robustness tests can be carried out. Critical communication states can be simulated and analyzed in a reproducible manner to verify the behavior of ECUs under realistic fault conditions. And for extended test scenarios, additional external devices such as loggers, multimeters, oscilloscopes or signal generators can be integrated into the system.

The MagicCAR Compact Plus incorporates an integrated onboard logging function, recording communication data from ECU interfaces in real time to an internal SSD. This enables continuous recording at high data rates while reducing the need for external logging hardware, particularly for data-intensive applications such as automotive Ethernet or domain controllers.

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To address this requirement, Göpel Electronic has developed the SmartController – a universal control solution designed for demanding individual or endurance tests, presentations and functional demonstrations, as well as laboratory applications that combines modern hardware, flexible software architecture and intuitive operating concepts in a compact system.

The SmartController is based on the proven Serie62 G CAR 6281 hardware platform and offers a modular architecture with versatile interfaces. With this, Göpel Electronic has created a universal hardware foundation that can be used across projects and customized as needed.

The SmartController supports up to eight bus interfaces, providing comprehensive support for automotive communication standards such as CAN, CAN-FD, LIN and Automotive Ethernet, including residual bus simulation, diagnostics and monitoring. The integrated Ethernet and wi-fi connectivity enables seamless networking and easy integration.

The generic software framework architecture ensures that future projects and new requirements can also be implemented efficiently. This makes the SmartController suitable for both long-term endurance tests and dynamic development and presentation environments.

A key feature is the tablet control framework, which enables modern and convenient operation. Its uniform structure enables use in various projects while maintaining a consistent user experience. Features such as the Sticky Keys input assistance (Touch ‘n’ Click/Make ‘n’ Break) support ergonomic and safe operation, Göpel said.

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Organized by FISITA and the EuroBrake Steering Committee, and held in Mainz, Germany, on June 1-3, the 14^th edition of EuroBrake gathered speakers, 110 exhibitors and 1,100 delegates to explore brake emissions, Euro 7 readiness, software-defined braking and integrated system design in a rapidly evolving field.

A clear message emerged: braking is no longer a standalone component, but central to safety, sustainability, vehicle performance and intelligent system architecture.

Safety first

The plenary session discussed brakes as the baseline for vehicle safety. “As tech advances, safety advances,” said Jan Münchhoff, EuroBrake chair and head of development functions assisted driving and parking, active safety, at Audi. “Brake systems are integrating with software and creating safer, cleaner environments.” For example, speaker Tomohiro Yokoyama, brake-by-wire project manager at Toyota, proposed a brake-by-wire (BBW) solution to address brake misapplication among elderly drivers.

The next emissions frontier

EU data revealed brakes and tires account for nearly half of total particle emissions. To address this, Timo Schmidt, manager for e-drive system design and testing, and Niels Schreuders, project lead for in-drive brake, at Mercedes-Benz, proposed an in-drive brake concept, moving the brake system into the e-drive system, significantly reducing rear axle emissions. Enhanced vehicle dynamics are required to scale the concept. “A torque vectoring module could improve agility and predictability while acting as a differential on the rear axle,” said Schreuders. 

Sustainability also creates challenges. Arianna Pavesi, a materials specialist at Brembo, shared how recycled aluminum alloys can negatively affect the mechanical performance of brake callipers.

Beyond stopping

An OEM panel addressed customer expectations, regulation, cost, electrification, software-defined vehicles and automated driving. Albert Schlecht, head of brake system development at Audi, emphasized high-integration to connect functions, whereas Thomas Sprengel, senior chassis expert at Nio, highlighted pressure to adopt technologies such as brake-by-wire (BBW) to meet customer expectations.

Disruptive technologies include brake-by-wire, open-system architectures, motor disc brakes, in-drive braking concepts and AI-driven development, as well as the need for BBW standardization. Panelists agreed AI’s role lies in accelerating development and optimization rather than safety-critical decision-making. And FISITA CTO Martin Kahl noted, “Braking is evolving from a friction product to an intelligent, electronic system at the heart of vehicle development.”

Reinventing braking

A strategy panel explored how disruptive development pathways rethink system innovation beyond the friction pair. Nico Waegerle, CEO and co-founder at Certivity, said AI can accelerate product compliance but that human-in-the-loop is essential and Frank Beier, developer of actuation and brake components at Volkswagen, noted that reinvented pedal boxes are a major component in future BBW systems. 

Christof Danner, a technical expert in brake systems at the Austrian Center of Brake Competence, said Euro7 is propelling new technologies such as coated discs, electromechanical brakes and alternative brake designs, but that issues remain with BBW brake pedal feeling and integration with all drive systems.

Tires, regulation and emissions

Braking distances depend heavily on tire wear, which was highlighted by Dr Ludovic Grèverie, vice president of technical operations – passenger car and light truck tires at Michelin, who underlined the need for tires optimized for braking performance.

Research from Stockholm University’s Wandera Kisimbiri showed VOC to PM10 emission ratios increase with braking intensity and pad composition, reinforcing the importance of brake particle regulation.

AVL also exhibited its fully integrated AVL Brake Test System, featuring the Particle Sampling Enclosure (see above), which minimizes particle loss and ensures homogeneous aerosol distribution, capturing all particle sizes. AVL’s business marketing specliaist Marina Gross said, “As a key contributor to GTR24 and UNR179 on brake emissions, AVL also presented its latest research, underlining its commitment to shaping future brake emissions regulations for light and heavy duty.”

Chassis integration

FISITA’s Advanced Chassis Technology Expert Group highlighted how integral braking is to the chassis ecosystem, with software-defining system behavior. “EuroBrake is the premier global forum for brake development and technical discussion,” said Fabio Squadrani, senior manager for braking systems at Applus Idiada and chair of this FISITA expert group. “This year spotlighted a fundamental shift across OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers: the recognition that brake systems are no longer standalone components, but integral elements within a holistic motion control ecosystem.”

Testing and development tools

Anton Tworek, a development engineer at MdynamiX, presented a unified approach to HIL- and DIL-connected testing of brake systems for robustness and driver acceptance, and noted that standard simulators aren’t fully suitable for brake development.

“The market needs to speed development,” said Tristan Schwandke, head of sales and marketing at Mdynamix. “Our HiL solutions increase efficiency by bridging SIL/MIL to real testing. Chassis systems, such as steering and braking, are integrated in a real-time simulation environment with DIL. You can calibrate/tune ECUs and test drive in one loop.”

Process tools

Advanced image processing and deep learning techniques for corrosion detection and evaluation of brake discs were presented by Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic Brakes data scientist Lorenzo Rota and R&D testing laboratory head Giovanni Arena. “Cosmetic corrosion on brake pads should be measured for customer perception, benchmarking, and continuous improvement,” said Lorenzo. “A missing component in the testing workflow to meet the ISO standard is a quantitative, objective evaluation. Using main field image processing and AI, the most relevant KPI is the ratio between the corroded and total surface area.”

Beyond automotive

The event touched on passenger cars, commercial vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, and trains. Klaus Jaeckel, manager of wheel brake systems at Daimler Truck, chaired the HDV session, and said, “Upcoming legislation on the regulation of brake particulate emissions has led to many HDV presentations. I have received excellent feedback from HDV OEMs, brake and lining manufacturers and universities.”

“Innovative solutions are taking braking away from the corners into the center of the vehicle, integrating it into the electric motor and transmission unit,” said FISITA CTO Kahl. “But more needs to be done for friction brake systems on current platforms and vehicles launched in the next few years.”

The EuroBrake Student Opportunities Programme (ESOP)

FISITA CEO Chris Mason shared how EuroBrake is supporting young engineers to learn about mobility and braking technology, through the Harald Abendroth Award as well as special recognition of the top three EuroBrake poster presentations and the top three ESOP poster presentations.

FISITA’s Intelligent Safety Group will be speaking at this week’s Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo Europe, which will take place at the Messe Stuttgart, Germany, on June 23-25. 

Read more about Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo Europe here.

Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo, Automotive Interiors Expo and Automotive Testing Expo together comprise Vehicle Tech Week Europe, the continent’s landmark event for vehicle technology.

“TraXon 2 Hybrid delivers a clear advantage for high‑mileage operations by substantially reducing CO2 emissions while maintaining cost efficiency,” said Christian Feldhaus, vice president of transmissions and hybrids at ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions. “Based on our ongoing discussions with vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and industry bodies, we see hybrid technologies providing a clear and practical pathway toward significant emissions reduction in future heavy‑duty transport.”

Emissions-saving technology

The TraXon 2 Hybrid builds on the all-electric TraXon 2 platform. The hybrid system enables electric-only driving in urban zones while retaining combustion operation for long-distance transportation.

ZF test evaluations confirmed that the system supports substantial CO2 reductions in long-haul and distribution applications when operated with consistent recharging. The PHEV system can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 47% in long-haul transportation and up to 73% in distribution transportation. This supports the European fleet emissions targets for 2030 and provides flexibility for future toll and tax regulations.

The TraXon 2 Hybrid builds on ZF’s e-mobility platform, which includes electric central drives such as CeTrax 2 and AxTrax 2 e-axles, and supports applications where full electrification is not yet practical across all routes. For fleets with limited investment capacity, it also enables a gradual transition to electrification, including operational, dispatch and charging adjustments.

The hybrid platform integrates an in-house-developed electric motor and operates at 600-800V, with 190kW continuous power and higher peak output. Positioned in a P2 layout between the clutch and transmission, the electric motor enables pure electric driving up to 12th gear and supports regenerative braking for improved efficiency. The combustion engine operates according to the vehicle’s driving strategy and provides range for long-haul applications. The system is designed to improve overall efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions while retaining the range and refueling flexibility of a combustion engine. It can be combined with diesel, HVO/e-fuels, CNG/LPG and hydrogen combustion engines.

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The new steering feel benefits driving dynamics, maneuvering and parking. With steer-by-wire, the steering effort required from the driver can be further reduced and the driver no longer needs to adjust their grip on the steering wheel when turning. Vibrations caused by uneven road surfaces, which were previously transmitted to the driver via the steering wheel, can now be eliminated.

Steer-by-wire also reshapes the interior. A flatter steering wheel rim opens up space for the driver, improving their view of the driver display and making it easier to get in, or out.

Suspension specialists have tuned the steering ratio for different driving conditions, which works in conjunction with standard rear-axle steering – at higher speeds, the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front wheels to improve stability.

The steer-by-wire system has completed over 1,000,000km of testing (over 621,000 test miles) on test benches, test tracks and in overall vehicle validation in road traffic. To ensure it meets the brand’s strict safety standards, the design uses a redundant system architecture in addition to high-precision sensors and powerful control units. These two signal paths ensure steering capability is always guaranteed. Lateral control is also possible through rear-axle steering and targeted wheel-specific braking interventions via the ESP.

In addition to the optional steer-by-wire system, the Mercedes‑Benz EQS continues to be equipped with electromechanical steering as standard.

Airbag structure and safety standards

In the EQS, Mercedes‑Benz uses the steer-by-wire technology for a flattened, more compact steering wheel and combines it with a newly developed airbag structure. Since the airbag can no longer support itself on a closed steering wheel rim, an internal support and folding architecture takes over the controlled shaping during deployment.

The airbag’s routing, folding pattern and mounting points are designed to ensure stable and consistent deployment, even without the upper steering wheel rim. The system remains integrated into the steering wheel hub and meets the brand’s safety requirements despite the revised design.

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Key updates include enhanced GUI flexibility, enabling users to switch between plane strain and axisymmetric analysis directly within the interface, even after opening an existing data file. This improves adaptability as design assumptions evolve during analysis. Workflow efficiency has been improved with support for space characters in file and directory names, simplifying file management, and the ability to delete multiple settings simultaneously in the model setting field reduces repetitive manual operations. Advanced post-processing tools feature new animation controls enabling precise adjustment of step increments and frame intervals for clearer visualization of results. A new measurement function also enables users to calculate the distance between any two selected nodes across time steps. Improved visual clarity with updated contour settings introducing overflow and underflow color controls ensures that extreme values remain clearly distinguishable during result evaluation.

A case study with Yazaki demonstrates how digital validation using NewtonSuite eSeal can reduce rework, limit physical testing and build stakeholder confidence throughout the OEM collaboration lifecycle.

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The automotive industry is moving towards the supply of passenger cars with a higher-voltage electrical system, a 48V system, rather than the traditional 12 V systems, offering thinner power supply cables and reducing wire harness weight. However, in-vehicle networks must handle higher-voltage shorts, and loss of ground (GND) is a concern. As a result, PMA sublayer components – such as PHYs, system base chips (SBCs) and standalone transceivers – must be designed to survive these conditions.

The CiA specifications will extend the existing requirements given in ISO 11898-2 (CAN) and ISO 17987-4 (LIN), and CiA will specify related test cases for 48V shorts and loss of GND.

The SIG is chaired by Marko Moch, working with Cariad, a VW Group member.

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More and more OEMs are introducing the digital key as standard equipment. Whoever controls ‘the key’ also controls user data and customer relationships. However, with increasing adoption, pressure is mounting: the potential consequences of any malfunctions are enormous.

At the same time, the market remains highly complex. New vehicle and mobile device models are constantly entering the ecosystem – making interoperability the greatest technical challenge of the digital key, while ensuring both security and a consistent customer experience across all platforms.

CCC Plugfest: Reality check for the digital key

Major vehicle OEMs, mobile device manufacturers, hardware producers and software providers have recognized this and formed a globally unique industry consortium: the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC). They have agreed on a unified standard for the digital vehicle key – the CCC Digital Key. This ensures a high degree of interoperability: interfaces are standardized to such an extent that complexity is significantly reduced.

The CCC specification defines standards for multiple hardware technologies, including NFC for convenience access, BLE for standard connectivity and UWB for precision positioning. The consortium offers certification pathways for these hardware implementations as well as for end-to-end use cases across the ecosystem.

The CCC standard is tested at so-called Plugfests, regularly hosted by consortium members. Here, the digital key implementations of OEMs are rigorously tested; new features and evolving standards are trialed and refined. These events also provide invaluable opportunities for industry exchange and mutual understanding of technical challenges. With the Plugfests now in their 15th edition, they have evolved into the industry’s most established real-world testing laboratories for digital vehicle access.

Inside the industry’s most comprehensive test laboratory

Last year’s European CCC Plugfest took place from November 10 to 14, in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance in Germany. It was a week-long intensive testing environment with a focus on interoperability, new features and future hardware standards. What made this particular event noteworthy was that it was hosted by mid-sized software company doubleSlash, the first back-end provider ever to host a CCC Plugfest, underscoring the growing importance of back-end infrastructure in the digital key ecosystem.

“We have participated in five Plugfests over the past two years,” explained Manuel Teufel, product manager digital key at doubleSlash. “Hosting a Plugfest as a vehicle OEM server provider is quite unusual, but we really see the value in all sitting together and understanding the complex end-to-end chain.”

A successful Plugfest requires careful orchestration: confidential test spaces to protect pre-release technologies, short travel and communication paths between testing stations, and a tightly defined schedule. After 15 editions, the format has matured into a well-oiled process where all participants share the same objective – a productive test week that strengthens solutions for future customers.

Last year’s Plugfest highlighted the challenges currently faced by the digital key community. With vehicle platforms, mobile operating systems and hardware technologies evolving at different speeds, ensuring stable end-to-end interoperability has become increasingly complex. Beyond validating new features, the focus lay on improving system robustness, handling edge cases and validating non-functional requirements such as availability, performance and security under real-world conditions.

The back end as the invisible backbone of the digital key

The core challenge of the digital key lies in connecting two complex and self-contained ecosystems: automotive and mobile communications. The back end links both worlds. It manages communication, security, access rights and key tracking. Without the back end, there is no interface – and without that, no interaction between vehicle and device.

Beyond pure functional correctness, the back end is also tested against non-functional requirements such as availability, system response times, disaster recovery scenarios and security stress tests – factors that ultimately determine whether a digital key solution is viable at scale. It was precisely these requirements that led doubleSlash to develop a white-label cloud solution years ago, long before the digital key became a mass-market feature.

The selection of a back-end provider as Plugfest host signals that the often-overlooked infrastructure layer can determine whether OEM implementations pass or fail interoperability requirements – while also enabling thorough end-to-end testing and rapid issue analysis across the entire digital keychain.

Validating a three-way ecosystem

One of the main challenges at the Plugfest is how to validate a three-way ecosystem – vehicle, back end and mobile device – when all three components are continuously evolving?

When the global automotive elite met tech giants at Lake Constance, OEMs tested vehicles both indoors and outdoors, while device manufacturers rotated between vehicle cabins to validate digital key functions in direct interaction with existing smartphones or new models to come.

“Testing under such conditions is like acting as a real end customer journey while facing real potential issues – but with immediate bug fixes and improvements,” Teufel reported. “The atmosphere is very positive and productive for each participant.”

To complement live testing, doubleSlash has developed its own simulation environment that emulates smartphone and vehicle requests and is integrated into the CI/CD pipeline. “Our so-called ‘simulator’ is executed in each deployment to ensure that the back end runs as expected in an end-to-end solution,” Teufel explained.

The back end must not only handle standard cases correctly but also cope with functional edge cases – for instance, when the vehicle connection is unstable or when messages get stuck in the vehicle hardware. Detailed logging of every interaction enables fast debugging and continuous sequence optimization during testing.

The software behind tomorrow’s vehicle key

doubleSlash has been developing back-end systems for automotive OEMs for more than 25 years and has already implemented the digital key for several brands. The doubleSlash digital key solution follows an API-first, hardware-agnostic architecture – a direct response to the interoperability challenges observed at CCC Plugfests.

The solution supports OEM-specific infrastructures while meeting the non-functional requirements tested at Plugfests, including availability, performance and security. doubleSlash has submitted its vehicle OEM server for official CCC certification – a pioneering step that would make it the first certified solution of its kind, following multiple successful production deployments.

Read about the latest Plugfest, which took place last week at CCC’s Palo Alto facility in the US, hosted by Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies (RV Tech)

CCC defines how vehicles interact with devices and the world through standardized, secure and convenient connectivity solutions.

The event brings together automotive and technology companies to conduct real-world interoperability testing of the CCC Digital Key – the global standard for secure, smart device-based vehicle access.

Participating companies include: Accenture, Apple, Aumovio, BMW Group, Dekra Testing and Certification, Ellisys, General Motors, Google, Hyundai Motor Company, Marquardt, Mercedes-Benz, Motorola Mobility, Rivian Automotive and Volkswagen Group of America.

This Plugfest continues CCC’s effort to strengthen CCC Digital Key Version 4 interoperability and certification readiness. Throughout the week, members have been evaluating V4 implementations across both Version 3 and Version 4 devices – generating insights that will help identify potential interoperability device list (IDL) end user devices, which serve as trusted reference devices for validating conformance and interoperability.

“As demand for secure and seamless vehicle access accelerates across the vehicle and mobile industries, events like Plugfest 16 are essential to ensuring CCC Digital Key continues to meet the needs of our global membership,” said Alysia Johnson, president of CCC. “We’re also grateful to Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies for hosting this week’s event here in Silicon Valley, where hands-on collaboration helps advance the next phase of interoperability.”

Plugfest 16 testing activities have included CCC Digital Key V4 interoperability testing – cross-version evaluations of V4 and V3 implementations to assess real-world compatibility and identify IDL candidate devices; bluetooth LE sniffing validation – structured full-day sessions to analyze communication behavior, resolve remaining test case issues and support future certification needs; updated near-field communication (NFC) scenarios – testing refined NFC use cases based on findings from recent Plugfests, alongside passive entry and remote keyless entry test cases; ultra-wideband (UWB) tool evaluations – vendor demonstrations showing how UWB equipment can support member development and future certification processes; and authorized laboratory participation, with CCC-authorized end-to-end laboratories, including Dekra, one of the first North American labs to earn authorized test lab (ATL) status, executing published test cases with IDL devices and CCC-approved tools.

“Plugfest 16 allows members to validate CCC Digital Key V4 in real-world conditions,” said Ganesh Venkatesan, technical director for CCC. “Bluetooth LE sniffing, updated NFC evaluations, UWB tool testing and lab-led checks all help refine implementations and move the ecosystem closer to certification readiness.”

CCC’s Plugfests provide member companies with a structured environment to validate interoperability, identify implementation issues early and contribute to the refinement of technical specifications, test documents and tools.

Read more about the hidden challenges of backend validation and interoperability in digital key ecosystems, which were explored at CCC Plugfest Europe late last year

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