Horiba MIRA has opened a driving simulator centre in the UK with driver-in-the-loop technology (writes Nick Flaherty).

The £4 million centre aims to help established car designers, start-up vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to develop new vehicles. The simulation technologies help developers adjust the design of multiple subjective elements of an e-mobility platform in a virtual environment rather than waiting to drive a physical prototype.

At the heart of the centre is the UK’s first DiM450 dynamic motion driving simulator from VI-grade. This significantly reduces the need for physical vehicle testing and prototypes. A vehicle model developed using the simulator could avoid a maximum potential of 14,000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent, says the company.

Developers can also use the smaller VI-grade Compact simulator, acquired by Horiba MIRA in 2021.

Horiba MIRA uses a subjective attribute methodology with a human in the loop at the start of the virtual engineering series. Attribute development engineers can make accurate and unlimited comparisons quickly and at lower cost, often at the flick of a switch. This is especially important when working to balance conflicting attributes such as the feel of the driving and the sound of the motors to optimise the vehicle.

The focus for the DiM450 is on vehicle dynamics, NVH and driveability, but also includes holistic engineering across capabilities  such as advanced driver assistance systems, human machine interfaces and x-in-the-loop applications.

This results in more informed, subjective-led decisions being made throughout the entire development cycle rather than waiting for a physical prototype, and can significantly reduce the number of prototypes required.