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.

Related news, Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture completes SDV architecture winter testing

The Future of Automotive Testing Conference

This day of high-level content will explore various topics and provide an engaging opportunity to learn from and connect with industry peers. Situated among the exhibits, it will have a relaxing atmosphere, and visitors will be able to dip in and out at their leisure. A highlight will be ATTI’s on-stage interview with Jon Quigley, who worked for Volvo for many years and now runs his own company, Value Transformation. With his broad experience and portfolio of contacts, he’s a very good person to know. He loves sharing his thoughts, too, hence his new gig as ATTI’s regular columnist.

Read Quigley’s latest column on p36 of the September issue.

Also during the conference, Venkat Adusumalli, software engineering manager at Stellantis, will reveal how Stellantis is using AI to accelerate E/E system testing and validation workflows. Click here for a pre-show interview with him.

Innovation Showcase

The free-to-attend Innovation Showcase also provides an interactive platform for learning about new technologies. Speakers will welcome questions and discussion after their presentations, making it a great way to explore ideas together. Like the conference, it will take place within the main hall, so it will be very easy to listen in while wandering through the exhibits, or to come and go throughout the day.

Technology debuts

The industry is moving quickly and it can be a challenge to keep up. Every year there is an abundance of new technologies on display. Some are incremental improvements to existing products, others are entirely new. It’s always surprising how companies find ways around bottlenecks. Often, these developments emerge from ongoing conversations between supplier and customer, ultimately benefiting multiple companies.

Read ATTI‘s comprehensive expo preview in the September issue.

Face-to-face discussions  

It sounds obvious, but the most fruitful conversations are usually the ones that happen in person – it’s how journalists find the best stories. Year after year, exhibitors and visitors report having forged unexpected collaborations at the show, in the form of technology tie-ups or service partnerships.

Detroit’s revival 

A lot of money has been plowed into Detroit in recent years, as evidenced by the stunning renovation of Michigan Central Station, which is well worth a visit. Much of the investment has been in the tech sector. Eleven years ago – when the station was still derelict – ATTI took a tour of some of the labs at GM and what was then the FCA headquarters (see The right wave length, November 2014, Seasonal highlights, September 2015, and Powerbase, March 2015). The facilities were impressive then and are even more so now, thanks to several years of investment in innovation leading to Detroit’s resurgence as an automotive powerhouse.

Visit the Automotive Testing Expo North America website to secure your FREE pass, which will give you access to the expo, the Future of Automotive Testing Conference and the Innovation Showcase

The forum will be a vibrant hub where enthusiasts, experts and newcomers alike can converge to explore, share and connect on all things automotive testing and development. You can expect discussions on cutting-edge analysis technologies and industry trends, and passionate debates. The program will offer an afternoon of high-level content and will be followed by the first-ever live ATTI Awards ceremony.

Here’s what’s in store:

2:30pm
Welcome

2:40pm
Panel discussion – Exploring the future of automotive testing
Moderator: Dr Huw Davies, senior lecturer at Coventry University’s Centre for Future Transport and Cities

Gemma Hatton, freelance technical writer
Phil Durston, technical manager, Volkswagen
Nils Katzorke, project manager, Mercedes-Benz

3:20pm
In conversation

Jahee Campbell-Brennan, director, Wavey Dynamics
• AI-driven simulation is revolutionizing vehicle development
• How to gain actionable insights by using AI in testing
• The challenges in adopting AI-driven testing solutions

Plato Pathrose, CTO and technical director, ADAS and AD, Vinfast Germany
• The key hurdles of connected, software-defined and autonomous vehicle simulation
• How to formulate a successful simulation program
• Mature simulation platforms vs the latest collaborative platforms

4:00pm
ATTI Awards ceremony
Drinks and canapés will be served.

For more information, visit the Automotive Testing Expo Europe website.

Blumenröder has a degree in mechanical and production engineering and started his career in 1990 with Daimler. From 1998 to 2004, he served as MD of the Institut für Motorenbau Prof. Huber in Munich, Germany, and in 2002 was appointed MD of Mercedes-Benz Technology, before becoming speaker of the management board at IAV in 2005.

Eichler holds a degree in mechanical engineering and started his career with Volkswagen in 1993. Following positions with Audi and Porsche, he was head of drivetrain development with Mercedes AMG from 2007. At Volkswagen he was head of gasoline engine development from 2013.

November 29, 2017

One of the consequences of this approach is that one correct answer to a problem is determined. Another lesson learned is that numbers tell the story.

But are not the assumptions made in setting up a problem just as important as the result? And is not the selection of the approach important? And can we be sure of the results, or have we made some mistakes along the way? How realistic are the results? Do we end up with more questions than answers at the end? Can we not make the design narrower or wider, shallower or deeper, shorter or longer, and can we not choose materials that are stronger or weaker depending upon other practical limitations? It’s not a simple problem and solution anymore, is it? We will never know enough to be fully informed. How can we assure ourselves that we are actually on a logical and realistic path to establishing a reasonable solution?

Often when I ask an engineer to draw me a picture of the problem they are trying to solve, the engineer struggles to document it graphically. As they work to document the problem, they become aware of the complications related to the challenge and start recognizing the assumptions they need to make to proceed to a solution.

They also start seeing that not all approaches or assumptions are equally valid and that making the problem more complicated is not necessarily the best way to go. A clear definition of the problem, documented graphically, that encompasses realistic assumptions and recognizes the limitations of the solution, can yield tremendous insights into the challenge at hand.

As a problem and solution comes closer to mimicking the real world, the more we can trust the calculated results. Once the engineer’s problem is clearly defined graphically, it’s time to apply equations and crunch the numbers. And we have a visual redundancy step in the approach to assure we are not making a mistake. After the numbers are crunched, the results are collated – often in tables.

What’s a more powerful presentation: pictures or columns of numbers? Graphics present a lot of information in one package – dimensions, forces, directions, relationships – while we get lost in columns of numbers and can’t see anything. A graphical presentation of a solution can quickly reveal mistakes made in the execution. We can see if the force magnitudes and directions are logical. We cannot intuitively see if there are errors in columns of numbers.

I often use a 2D or 3D CAD program to document and examine the forces present throughout a mechanism. The forces can be scaled and dimensioned to provide a realistic view. A graphical presentation illustrating a range of possible solutions is another opportunity to provide a wealth of useful information. Presenting the relationship between three variables is powerful. Isobars documenting variable z crossing an x-y plot can show the sensitivity of a result relative to dual inputs. The closer together the isobars are, the more sensitive the performance versus the inputs.

Commonly used spreadsheet programs severely limit our capability of presenting data. Try to develop a three-variable isobar plot with your preferred x, y and z inputs. We need better graphical tools. Graphical documentation of loads and forces can lead us to solutions where material is placed along logical load paths to help us avoid simplistic designs that produce cumbersome rectangular shapes and utilize excess material.

We ought to be training engineers in graphical methods and thought processes supported by mathematical and numerical analysis. Engineers can then progress from being technical accountants to being design artists.

Gene Lukianov spent 20 years at Chrysler, working in vehicle dynamics and analytical dynamics. Now a consulting engineer, he runs VRAD Engineering, providing vehicle and suspension design services to the OEM and aftermarket industries.