Issue 41 Unmanned Systems Technology December/January 2022 PteroDynamics X-P4 l Sense & avoid l 4Front Robotics Cricket l Autonomous transport l NWFC-1500 fuel cell l DroneX report l OceanScout I Composites I DSEI 2021 report

12 Rohde & Schwarz and Vector Informatik have developed a closed-loop test system for radar sensors for autonomous driving (writes Nick Flaherty). The system combines the DYNA4 virtual test drive simulation platform from Vector with the latest Rohde & Schwarz radar moving-object simulation system for verifying safety-critical functions. These include emergency braking in an integrated hardware-in- the-loop (HiL) environment. HiL testing is used to accelerate the development of complex real-time embedded systems in situations where using a fully assembled vehicle is not possible or too costly, time-consuming or too dangerous. Instead, the operation and behaviour of supporting systems are electronically simulated. The DYNA4’s software provides the environment simulation and user interface for scenario configuration and test execution. This is linked to the radar test system, which generates dynamic artificial objects for the radar sensor under test. These objects are based on the ASAM open simulation interface (OSI) specification implemented in the DYNA4 environment simulation software. Vector’s CANoe CAN bus interface tool receives the radar sensor’s bus output signals with the objects detected by the radar, and the software then analyses and visualises them. The detected objects are also compared with a simulated ‘golden’, or ideal, model. The radar test system combines an R&S AREG800A automotive radar echo generator as the digital back end with an R&S QAT100 advanced antenna array as the front end. This allows new antenna array technology to be tested to generate complex artificial objects for the radar sensors at various distances and with varying radial velocity, object size and angular direction without having to physically move the antennas and test equipment. The HiL interface conforms to the ASAM OSI specification and allows realistic over-the-air stimulation of radar sensors by simulating challenging, complex and even risky driving scenarios. The modular system can be extended to cover fully autonomous driving systems. Sensor testing in the loop Driverless cars December/January 2022 | Unmanned Systems Technology The system verifies safety-critical functions and can be extended to fully autonomous vehicles Nissan is working with the Japanese space agency JAXA on control technology for an unmanned lunar rover (writes Nick Flaherty). The rover is using Nissan’s e-4ORCE all-wheel drive technology to precisely control all four wheels independently to cope with operating on the Moon’s surface. The torque of each motor can be individually controlled to provide traction during acceleration. The system constantly modulates the output of each motor as well as each wheel brake. One area of development is the system architecture, as each wheel’s control system needs to be integrated with the rover’s central controller.