Mathworks’ calibration tools to drive future vehicles
The Boston-headquartered MathWorks, a simulation solution provider specialising in mathematical computing software for applications in the new trends in automotive industry, codes algorithms for multi domain design optimisation of OEMs. This optimisation could be done by using model based calibration tool. The model based design is a framework in the Matlab and Simulink platform which the company provides to OEMs and suppliers. The control algorithms could be coded and automated in this framework. Component design, subsystem design and vehicle design could be programmed with this platform. The model based calibration tool helps in simulating the complex design and systems. The company stated that BS VI norms steer the control logic of model based calibration tool.
In order to attain the emission standards defined for 2020, the control algorithms of engine have to be relooked at. Recalibration has to be made in multiple parameters and the model based simulation tool from the company paves the way for that. It gives advanced computational algorithms for low combustion. The Simulink platform has the model based calibration tool box and the OEMs are now in the phase of examining it. Through this platform the company educates the customers on how the platform leads them to the destination of BS VI.
Kishore Rao, Managing Director, MathWorks, told AutoComponents India that, “It is now a very exciting time to be part of the automotive industry as electronics and mechanics are hooked up to an inseparable extent. Technological inputs drive the future vehicles and we are part of the journey. The model based calibration tool box in the Simulink platform has a lot of inputs for the future vehicles through which OEMs could design complex system and enumerate complex algorithms. We are already working with Indian OEMs but the project is in an ongoing stage. Hence it is too early for us to disclose the name of the OEMs but certainly the inauguration bells will ring in a year’s time after getting approvals from the OEMs.”
Simulation is not just a word and it is not stated to take a single task. The car is a combination of electronic, mechanical and hydraulic systems. Matlab and Simulink carry out the simulation process with a single integrated framework. Validations done on the computers will improve the quality of the product. The company claimed that the solutions it offers allow companies to do simulation end to end and validate all scenarios and do verification on software and not on the vehicles. A small flaw in design could also be identified beforehand and this mitigates the reliability issues.
Indian market has become a sweet spot for the auto manufacturers to invest. “We are still tasked with creating awareness of our products in the Indian market. Though 90% of OEMs and suppliers are using our
solutions, the complete awareness is still not imparted. During validation of any system, sub-system or component the codes are generated automatically in the model based environment in the Simulink platform. But in India, manual coding is still in existence. The market, to a large extent, is following traditional system and we need to educate them on the simulation based/model based environment. We are playing a pedagogue role in the oblivious markets,” Rao said.
The company noted that the challenge in the Indian market is to get the right talent as the professionals passing out from the college are not industry-ready. The company is imparting training to the students, faculties in the academic institutions to create awareness about its platform and the industry as such. “Out of 3000 engineering colleges in India 2000 colleges use our tool in the automotive electronics lab. For the past 10 years, our industry standard tool is used in academic institutions inasmuch that project based learning is achieved with low-cost hardware through which the simulation environment has been brought into the electronics lab. Technical evangelists from our organisation take care of developing and enhancing course standards,” he said.
Automotive industry is basically driven by the key trends for years. Fuel efficiency and emissions, safety and data analytics are the 3 saddles on which the industry is being chauffeured. Driver assistance systems, radar systems, collision warning systems, and land departure are some of the algorithms coded in the vehicle as safety measures. With multiple sensors coming in like radar and lidar sensors the design algorithms and the complex computations are becoming onerous tasks and the Matlab platform outputs the solutions and protocols to be followed precisely. Predictive maintenance of a lot of OEMs’ products are taken care with these platform based solutions. Matlab and Simulink platform as mentioned above enable model based design and this framework helps in various applications like image processing, control systems and data analytics.
The aforementioned key trends like fuel efficiency and emissions, safety and data analytics led to the model based design frame work to the global market. This in turn drives the new product development which draws innovation lines for driver assistance, collision warning and lane departure. All these may not hit the Indian market at one go. But the aspects of the safety products will sneak peek in the country. This was clearly elucidated in the recent connected cars event in Pune. “Some of the solutions like collision warning, and lane departure will be programmed in the commercial vehicles for Indian market at the right cost”, Rao said.
The domestic OEMs have to pace equally with their global counterparts. “This competition knocks our doors with a demand for new applications and features. We might have to code simulation solutions by analysing the data. We are an integrated solution provider and we can programme end-to- end solutions using data analytics, and generate automatic code in C and HDL languages. We have varieties of case studies through which the new customers could be benefited. The data analytic solutions provided by us in Matlab platform with hadoop and big data will become a one stop solution for the future simulation-driven vehicles,” Rao added.