IAAPS Adds Driver-in-the-Loop Simulator to Powertrain Facility
A new Driver-in-the-Loop (DiL) simulator at the Bristol and Bath Science Park will combine virtual vehicle dynamics with physical propulsion hardware. It will help motorsport, automotive and wider transport customers develop their technology faster.
IAAPS will integrate an Ansible Motion Delta S2 simulator with its 1,800 kW four-wheel-drive powertrain test facility. The combined system brings simulated vehicle behaviour, human driver inputs and physical powertrain hardware together in a single, real-time development environment.
Customers can evaluate how the driver, propulsion system, and vehicle systems interact dynamically. Because complex development and validation work can start earlier, the simulator helps to reduce technical risk, cut the need for physical prototype testing and shorten overall development time.
The simulator has already supported race preparation for F1 Academy driver Rachel Robertson. IAAPS is now engaging with organisations across motorsport, automotive and the wider transport sector to realise the capability's broader potential.
For motorsport customers, the simulator supports vehicle setup optimisation, calibration, strategy development and scenario testing. Drivers can also use it for track familiarisation, race procedure practice, coaching and consistency training.
By exploring more options before they reach the circuit, teams and drivers can make better engineering decisions and use less of their valuable track time, tyres and vehicle mileage. The controlled environment can also build driver confidence and improve communication between drivers and engineers.
Motorsport teams and technology partners stand to benefit in particular. The DiL simulator gives motorsport organisations and individual competitors access to professional simulation tools and engineering support, without the cost and complexity of owning and running their own simulator facility.
IAAPS backs the capability with integrated engineering services covering real-time simulation, X-in-the-Loop methodologies, physical testing, control systems, data analysis and vehicle development.
'This capability gives customers a flexible platform for a diverse range of applications, from race preparation and driver optimisation to automotive and wider transportation development,' said Professor Rob Oliver, Managing Director of IAAPS. 'By combining simulation with our advanced facilities and engineering expertise, we can help customers develop and validate complex systems earlier, more efficiently and with reduced technical risk.'
Automotive manufacturers and technology suppliers gain too. The DiL simulator speeds up vehicle development by moving testing and validation into a controlled, rig-based environment earlier in a programme.
Teams can evaluate driver behaviour, propulsion system response and wider vehicle functions before a complete physical prototype exists. This supports more efficient development and validation of internal combustion, hybrid and battery electric vehicles, while reducing reliance on physical prototypes and on-road testing.
The platform's adaptability also opens up opportunities beyond the automotive sector. Aerospace and marine organisations, for example, could combine operator training with control system validation, assessing how people interact with complex systems safely and repeatably.
The Delta S2 simulator features a six-degree-of-freedom motion base, an immersive projection-based visual system and an interchangeable cockpit. It forms part of IAAPS' wider portfolio of research, engineering and testing services for developing future propulsion systems, technologies and advanced validation methods.