Elektrobit (EB) Simplifies The Life Of Test Drivers

EB (Elektrobit) has developed new technology to help carmakers test complex driver assistance systems.

The company’s EB Assist Car Data Recorder is ameasurement tool that allows product development engineers to record andvisualize data during test drives using a common tablet computer withoutcomplicated cable installations, monitors or keyboards. Easy-to-read graphicsand tablet displays help engineers focus on test-drive essentials, minimizingevaluation and data-acquisition errors and increasing overall test efficiency.

“The market for driver assistance systems is growingrapidly,” says Martin Schleicher, vice president of Strategy for EB’sAutomotive Business Segment. “Driver assistance systems and the testsrequired to develop them are becoming more and more complex in today’sconnected world.

“As a result, an ever-increasing number of tests andproduct-development test drives are needed. Today’s market is urgently in needof intuitive, flexible and cost-effective road-test solutions such as EB AssistCar Data Recorder. The EB Assist Car Data Recorder allows product developmentengineers to record and visualize data during test drives using a common tabletcomputer.”

“Development work on EB’s Car Data Recorder beganmore than a year ago in cooperation with a number of leading car makers andautomotive suppliers,” Schleicher adds. “EB Assist Car Data Recorder is designed to replace costly OEMsystems that are difficult to install and maintain.”

EB Assist Car Data Recorder technology is based on EB’swidely adopted platform for developing and testing advanced driver assistancesystems – EB Assist ADTF (Automotive Data and Time-Triggered Framework). In itsstandard version, EB Assist ADTF is optimized for desktop use with rich andconfigurable user interfaces under Windows and Linux operating systems.

EB’s new Car Data Recorder extends the use of EB AssistADTF to a modern touch tablet. It allows for easy data exchanges betweenADTF-based test cars and development systems and also offers a wide variety ofout-of-the-box tools and components, including support for various vehiclebusses such as CAN, FlexRay and Ethernet, as well as other hardware devices.

“The requirements for testing are growing continuouslyand there is an increasing demand for standardized, more user-friendly test andmeasurement equipment applications,” says Dr. Matthias Gebhard, head ofMetrology for Driver Assistance and Optical Metrology Systems at Porsche AG.”We have had an opportunity to have a first glance at EB’s Car DataRecorder. It is a clever product that offers exactly the features our testengineers have been asking for.”

Jurgen Ludwig with Driver Assistance Business Developmentat EB notes that “besides its cost-effectiveness, reliability andscalability based on standardized platforms and systems like ADTF and iOS, theEB Assist Car Data Recorder also provides unrivalled usability. The userinterface offers a wide range of highly customizable visualization options fora clear and intuitive illustration of highly complex features. The EB AssistCar Data Recorder can be used for almost every target group and test scenariofrom highly specialized developer applications to live test-resultpresentations for senior management.”

Test engineers also will benefit from the instantfeedback provided by the Car Data Recorder, which in turn saves time otherwisespent on working through erroneous or incomplete test cycles.

In addition, EB Assist Car Data Recorder comes with”plug & play” functionality and its wireless connection reducesdriver distraction and the amount of time required for mounting and dismountinglaptops and displays. Test-drive scenarios can be changed easily during testingand engineers are able to move more freely in and around the car.

Ludwig predicts that multiple tests with several tabletPCs may be possible during a single test drive in the future.

EB currently is taking orders for immediate delivery ofits EB Assist Car Data Recorder from major car makers around the world.

EB, Elektrobit Corporation

EB creates advanced technology and turns it intoenriching end-user experiences. EB is specialized in demanding embeddedsoftware and hardware solutions for wireless and automotive industries. The netsales from continuing operations in 2013 totaled MEUR 199.3 and operatingprofit was EUR 8.1 million. Elektrobit Corporation is listed on NASDAQ OMXHelsinki. www.elektrobit.com

Elektrobit (EB) – Automotive Software

EB represents one of the most important suppliers ofembedded software solutions for the automotive industry. In addition to thedevelopment of innovative products, it also specializes in services andconsulting for the automotive industry, supplying implementations of serialsoftware solutions for a broad range of AUTOSAR and FlexRay, infotainment,navigation, HMI and driver assistance systems. EB continues to invest infeature integration and development tools so that the in-vehicle devices get tomarket more quickly and ship in volume sooner. www.automotive.elektrobit.com