To augment its vehicle dynamics test programs, French sports car manufacturer Alpine Cars has purchased two driving simulators from VI-grade – the Static Simulator and the newly developed Compact Full-Spectrum Simulator (FSS).
According to VI-grade, the static sim will be used by Alpine to build comprehensive multi-body vehicle models, with its application potentially expanded in future to cover NVH and HMI. The ability to upgrade the simulator to a Dynamic Simulator, and its multi-disciplinary functionalities, played a key role in Alpine Cars’ decision.
Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine Cars, commented, “We are fully aligned with the ‘zero prototypes’ vision of fully validating cars thanks to simulation software, driving simulators and hardware-in-the-loop to ensure performance and safety. Putting the driver in the loop is crucial, as some performances are closely tied to driver feeling, but virtual testing before road testing is essential to save time, money and produce a superior product.”
The Compact FSS Simulator will be instrumental in Alpine’s EV programs. Leveraging the digital twin of the Alpine Eternity concept car, the dynamic DIL simulator facilitates all-encompassing assessment of vehicles in motion, vibration and sound. The package purchased by Alpine also includes both the full VI-NVHSim and the VI-DriveSim software suite.
Guido Bairati, managing director at VI-grade, said, “I am excited to announce the adoption of our Static and Compact Full-Spectrum Simulator at Alpine Cars. Our advanced simulators will enhance Alpine’s vehicle development processes by providing scalability, multi-disciplinary capabilities and a path to the future of automotive simulation. This partnership exemplifies VI-grade’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions that enable customers to achieve new heights in efficiency, quality and development time.”
Watch an interview between Krief and Bairati below.