The year 2021 heralded the debut of the Automotive Testing Technology International Awards at the Automotive Testing Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. Presented directly at the event, hosted by Automotive Testing Technology International, the awards duly honoured notable innovations and accomplishments within the automotive industry over the previous 18 months, in addition to lauding the personal achievements of exceptional individuals. The decision to reveal the awards live at the expo only served to further endorse ATTI’s steadfast association with the event.
The assessments of the awards were meticulously carried out by a panel of industry experts and technical writers.
Founded in 2006, the ATTI Awards have expanded annually and typically featured within the publication. However, amid the rise of significant advancements like automated driving and electrification gaining worldwide prominence, ATTI recognised that it was the opportune moment to revamp the format and introduce a live presentation at the Automotive Testing Expo Europe. Additionally, two new categories were introduced.
Remarkably, ATTI introduced the ADAS & AV Test Innovation of the Year category to acknowledge the burgeoning challenges faced by developers in the rapidly expanding fields of ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing. Amid stiff competition, Ansys and BMW emerged victorious in this category with their jointly developed AVxcelerate Autonomy platform. This newly introduced digital testing solution purportedly streamlines the cost and time-to-compliance for Level 2+, Level 3, and above ADAS and AV systems by a potential magnitude of 100,000.
Jahee Campbell-Brennan, a member of the awards jury and director of Wavey Dynamics, commented on the winner, noting “The ground-breaking technology developed holds tremendous impact as it enables the performance of ADAS and AV testing digitally, a significant advancement for the industry that will substantially reduce development time, cost, and risk/liability. This technology could play a significant role in the ongoing revolution. It’s a tall challenge, but a great achievement if they develop it reliably.”
The Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year category was introduced to acknowledge the significant advancements in the development of new-energy vehicle powertrains. From the competitive field, the judges conferred the top spot to Secondmind for its Secondmind for Calibration technology for e-powertrains. This state-of-the-art tool improves efficiency and accuracy in the calibration process through intelligent, automated experiments, producing highly precise models in record time.
Gary Brotman, the CEO of Secondmind, remarked with excitement, “We are delighted and grateful to have received the Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year award. The team has been fully focused on helping engineers address the growing complexity in e-powertrain design and calibration, thus creating significant development efficiencies through practical, data-efficient machine learning that respects their intelligence.”
In the category of Software Innovation of the Year, which acknowledges achievements in virtual testing technology, automation software, and analysis systems, AB Dynamics emerged triumphantly with its RC 9.4, a driving robot software update that streamlines industry-standard ADAS tests.
Andrew Pick, the director of track test systems at AB Dynamics, expressed his pride, saying “Winning the prestigious Software Innovation of the Year award was a proud moment for all of us at AB Dynamics. While AB Dynamics is widely recognized for its driving robots, soft targets, and motion platforms, it is our proprietary software that brings them all together to create an end-to-end ADAS test solution. It is fantastic to be recognized with this award and a great achievement by the team.”
Moving on to the Hardware Innovation of the Year category, VI-grade’s DiM Full Spectrum Simulator (FSS) earned the highest accolade. Unlike traditional driving simulators that focus on singular vehicle attributes, the DiM FSS offers an unparalleled leap in realism by seamlessly integrating multiple attributes.
Mohammad Behroozi, a senior vehicle dynamicist at General Motors and an awards juror, commented, “This simulator stands out for its breakthrough in integrating multiple vehicle attributes. The capability to assess primary and secondary ride, vibration, and sound concurrently marks a game-changer, streamlining development processes and offering a more holistic understanding of how vehicle components interact.”
The Proving Ground of the Year category saw BMW clinching the title with its Future Mobility Development Center in Sokolov, Czech Republic, designed exclusively for testing automated driving and parking up to Level 4.
Martin Sautter, the vice president of validation, customer experience, and approval at BMW, voiced their delight, “We are thrilled that the jury selected the new BMW test site in Sokolov – a unique testing ground of global importance. Within 600 hectares, we can flexibly and efficiently test all conceivable driving scenarios – whether in urban environments, rural areas, on motorways, or during automated parking. A key feature is the capability to execute our test modules consecutively, without interruption. This ensures that testing is as realistic, reliable, and customer-centric as possible.”
Toyota bagged the accolade for the Crash Test Innovation of the Year with its THUMS technology. The significant updates in Version 7 include more realistic geometry and new positions that reflect the shift towards connected and autonomous vehicles.
Byron Bloch, an esteemed independent automotive safety expert and an ATTI Awards judge, commended Toyota’s development of THUMS for enabling more complex and accurate modelling and analysis of how humans respond in various crash and ADAS-related situations. This, in turn, leads to a better understanding of injury causation and drives improvements for more crashworthy vehicle designs.
The Person of the Year category witnessed a fascinating lineup of nominees, and eventually, Marie Puhle, an engineering psychologist and user experience expert on Volkswagen’s HMI team, emerged as the winner for her leading role in rejuvenating the ID. user interface system.
Puhle expressed her satisfaction, stating, “As the leader of a concept team, I had the opportunity to shape Volkswagen’s new user interface generation, from the initial sketches to the final software. Our goal was to gather and incorporate as much customer feedback as possible to create an easy, clear, and consistent new system. I’m immensely satisfied and happy that we overcame all obstacles along the way, resulting in a significant improvement in the user experience in our new cars.”
The Powertrain of the Year award, being one of the most interesting categories, was cinched by JLR, with its Future Energy Lab being recognised for its use of advanced resources to support cutting-edge product developments.
Alex Crawford, the product engineering operations director at JLR, expressed his team’s thrill at winning the award, commenting, “My team is absolutely thrilled to have won this award. A core component of JLR’s Reimagine strategy, this facility is crucial in providing the advanced testing capabilities essential to the performance and reliability of the luxury vehicles we are proudly developing, all of which could not be possible without the tireless energy of my colleagues working here.”
Prior to the awards ceremony, the newly introduced Automotive Testing Technology International Forum provided a platform for high-level content covering key topics such as the application of AI in testing, connectivity, big data, software engineering, and AV testing. The forum featured a panel discussion and fireside chats.
Rachel Evans, the editor of ATTI and chair of the awards, commented “Creating the shortlist for this year’s awards proved to be challenging due to the abundance of entries worthy of recognition. It is refreshing to witness the testing community tackling challenges with contemporary and unconventional approaches. Researchers and scientists, manufacturers and suppliers are collaborating more than ever, working to find inventive new ways of achieving the industry’s goals.”
It was announced that more information on the award winners will be available in the September issue of Automotive Testing Technology International.
For further information, interested parties are advised to visit https://www.testing-expo.com/europe/en or contact Charlotte Iggulden, the head of marketing (automotive events) at UKi Media & Events, through +44 1306 743744 / 2123 or [email protected].