powertrain engineering
2 0 1 9 3 5
“We offer OEMs strong support for the development of their technology,
are an independent partner who can give them an objective perspective
on their own vehicles and the wider industry as a whole. We break it
down to many levels and enable them to make the most of their strengths,”
says Kogler.
OEMs can also streamline their development processes by defining target
characteristics prior to serial vehicle development. They can then frontload
the development of these attributes using model-based simulation tools.
“One big benefit of this approach is that you can jump into the simulated
prototype and find weaknesses in systems or individual components and
make changes, which improves hardware maturity when the vehicle is finally
built,” Kogler explains.
What this means for OEMs is reduced development effort, reduced cost, and
reduced time-to-market. Ultimately that allows manufacturers to respond
quickly to market trends, to explore innovative new trends, and to become
market leaders based on their existing strengths instead of being left behind.
BENCHMARKING THE WORLD
At AVL we conduct an annual benchmarking assessment of up to 150 vehicles
worldwide. And this makes our benchmarking database one of the
biggest in the world.
Passenger cars from all market segments with different propulsion and energy
systems are carefully chosen to represent a cross-section of the market
and its current level of technological development. From conventional
ICE powertrains to mild and full hybrids, fuel cell and battery electric
vehicles, our benchmarking practice aims to create a clear picture across a
wide field of different aspects of today’s automotive industry.
“Last year we benchmarked 117 vehicles around the world,” says Kogler.
“We have a standard procedure that ensures objectivity and the quality of
the results so that it doesn’t matter at which testing facility or by which
engineer the analysis is conducted. And if the vehicle employs interesting
new technology, we pay special attention to those features and extend the
testing and analysis efforts accordingly.”
above: Artificial head for interior noise
assessment
left: Evaluation of fuel/energy consumption
and emissions on testbed