Effective road profile control method for a spindle-coupled road simulator

A method for testing a sample vehicle on an automotive vehicle spindle-coupled road simulator without driving the sample vehicle over a test road, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) driving a test vehicle over a test road surface;
• (b) measuring test road response parameters from the test vehicle while driving the test vehicle over the test road surface;
• (c) coupling the test vehicle to the spindle-coupled simulator;
• (d) generating test control signals for driving the spindle-coupled simulator with the test vehicle coupled thereto so that a set of simulator road response parameters output from the spindle-coupled simulator matches the test road response parameters;
• (e) developing a first tire model for the test vehicle;
• (f) estimating an effective road profile for the test road surface based upon the test control signals and the first tire model;
• (g) developing a second tire model for the sample vehicle;
• (h) coupling the sample vehicle to the spindle-coupled simulator;
• and
• (i) generating sample control signals for driving the spindle-coupled simulator with the sample vehicle coupled thereto so that a road response generated by the spindle-coupled simulator is consistent with the effective road profile.

A method for controlling an automotive vehicle spindle-coupled road simulator comprising the steps of:

• (a) driving a first vehicle over a road surface;
• (b) collecting spindle dynamics data from at least one spindle of the first vehicle;
• (c) developing a first tire model for the first vehicle;
• (d) estimating a an effective road profile for the road surface based upon the spindle dynamics data and the first tire model;
• (e) developing a second tire model for a second vehicle;
• (f) coupling the second vehicle to the spindle-coupled simulator;
• and
• (g) using the effective road profile as a test control signal for driving the spindle-coupled simulator with the vehicle coupled thereto by forcing a road response generated by the spindle-coupled simulator to be consistent with the effective road profile.