Environmental testing: paving the way for autonomous driving

Environmental testing: paving the way for autonomous driving

As is well known, the competition of autonomous driving is reshaping the automotive industry. Autonomous vehicle are expected to revolutionize transportation and provide more reliable and efficient mobile solutions. In addition, the automotive industry will also benefit greatly from it, with the potential to bring in billions of dollars in revenue.

However, this technological leap is also accompanied by considerable challenges. Ensuring the reliability of the video and audio system is crucial. On the road to wide adaptation, autonomous vehicle and their components must be tested and verified to ensure their service life and reliability under various challenging conditions.

1.The rise of advanced driving assistance systems

ADAS (Driver Assistance Systems) has rapidly transformed from science fiction to a tangible reality. The prospect of autonomous vehicle has stimulated our collective imagination, attracted investors and intensified competition among automobile manufacturers. This surge in interest and investment has led to significant advancements in autonomous technology, from object detection systems such as LiDAR and radar to complex control algorithms. These innovations bring us one step closer to the future of autonomous driving, providing potential for reducing road congestion and improving mobility.

However, the road to autonomous driving is not without challenges. An important obstacle is to ensure that every component in the autonomous vehicle can operate reliably under complex environmental conditions. This is where environmental testing comes into play.

As car manufacturers producing vehicles equipped with ADAS strive to meet new standards and testing requirements, environmental testing laboratories have become indispensable assistants. These rooms provide methods to meet regulatory requirements and help ensure that autonomous driving technology fulfills its promise of convenience.

2.Components that require unique testing programs

 ①Sensor system: ADAS heavily relies on sensors such as LiDAR, radar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors to perceive the surrounding environment. These sensors must undergo rigorous testing to ensure they can operate accurately under various lighting conditions, from harsh sunlight to pitch black environments. The sensor testing also demonstrated the system's ability to withstand heavy rain, snow, humidity, and adverse weather conditions. Dust provides real-time data for vehicle decision-making algorithms. ISO 21448:2022 provides guidance on verification measures for complex sensors and processing algorithms in auto drive system.

②Computer system: The onboard computer responsible for processing sensor data and making instant decisions must operate at extreme temperature, vibration, and humidity levels. Environmental testing ensures that they remain reliable in all situations.

③Power system and battery: electric and hybrid autonomous vehicle need powerful power system and battery. Battery testing is crucial for ensuring performance under extreme conditions.

④Communication system: communication between autonomous vehicle and surrounding infrastructure. It is necessary to test the connectivity, functionality, and reliability of the communication system to ensure that data transmission is not interrupted.

⑤Mechanical components: The structural integrity, suspension, tires, and wire control system of the vehicle need to undergo durability testing to ensure that they can withstand road wear and withstand mechanical impacts caused by potholes or collisions. ISO 16750-3 and other standards cover the mechanical integrity and electrical equipment of road vehicles. Compliance with this standard includes vibration and mechanical impact testing.

Environmental testing includes a series of tests on these video and audio components, simulating real-life conditions such as extreme heat, extreme cold, humidity, vibration, high altitude, rain, sunlight, corrosion, etc. This helps ensure compliance with industry standards and requirements. The driving in laboratory provides composite environment testing for vehicle testing to simulate various road conditions and climates. Testing is an important step to ensure the reliability of autonomous vehicle under all possible conditions.

Autonomous driving technology has the potential to completely change the way we travel, work, and live. However, the development of fully autonomous vehicle is closely related to regulatory standards and rigorous testing. With the development of autonomous driving technology, environmental chambers will continue to play an indispensable role in providing the necessary testing environment to make autonomous driving more reliable and efficient.