Methods of developing a mathematical model of dynamics of a vehicle for use in a computer-controlled vehicle simulator

A method of developing a mathematical model of dynamics of a vehicle for use in a computer-controlled simulation of at least the vehicle, the method comprising:

• selecting at least one coefficient of a state-space model mathematically modelling the dynamics of the vehicle stored within at least one non-transient computer-readable information storage medium, the state-space model having a plurality of coefficients describing the dynamics of the vehicle being modeled, the selected at least one coefficient having a value for at least one predetermined state of the vehicle;
• and
• varying, via at least one computer processor in operative communication with the at least one non-transient computer-readable information storage medium, at least one parameter of a physically-based computerized model mathematically modelling the dynamics of the vehicle stored within the at least one non-transient computer-readable storage medium, the at least one parameter related to at least one of physical characteristics of at least a part of the vehicle and phenomena influencing the dynamics of the vehicle, to improve the accuracy of the physically-based model via computer-implemented numerical optimization of the at least one parameter of the physically-based model, the computer-implemented numerical optimization targeting the at least one coefficient of the state-space model such that the difference between a value predicted by the physically-based model and the value of the at least one coefficient of the state-space model for the at least one predetermined vehicle state is within a predetermined range.