Integrated POWERTRAIN SIMULATION T Words: John Chal len he desire to quickly and accurately run more detailed assessments with multiple facets and parameters, such as combined powertrain and vehicle dynamics simulations, can only be met by further development in test tools and techniques. Developers have had decades to fine-tune the testing of powertrains and chassis as individual systems, but bringing them together in the virtual realm is not simple. Industry technologists continue to experiment with hybrid simulation of the powertrain and vehicle dynamics, which according to Roland Wanker, VP of AVL advanced simulation technologies, is becoming a favorable way to expedite – and enrich – development programs. “These areas used to be separate development, simulation and testing elements, but over the past few years we’ve seen more of a need for combined simulation,” he says. “In electrified vehicles there is more complexity, so a ‘divide and conquer’ approach, which separates powertrain and dynamics development, doesn’t work that well anymore.” As Wanker notes, performance parameters are more intertwined. In an electric vehicle, passenger comfort is related to vehicle dynamics, which in turn relates to battery range and lifetime. AVL’s vSuite can be used to design, validate, qualify and then optimize a vehicle’s functionalities in combination with the powertrain. It merges two simulation products into one environment. Christoph Triebl, solution manager for virtual system development at AVL, explains how the system works. “The software enables engineers to see all the vehicle systems working together and, from there, they can choose which area or component they want to deep-dive into. It’s also possible for several engineers to work on different areas at the same time or for one person to switch between them using the one tool.” In the past, the various models would have to be connected together, which presented a few issues in terms of efficiency. “The user would have to combine all the interfaces and ensure the data exchange was running across them. That’s not easy and can take weeks to set up for larger models,” Triebl comments. He adds that for gasoline and diesel vehicles this approach worked really well because the engine was developed individually and then integrated with the 28 Automotive Powertrain Technology International.com / January 2024