CEVT (China Euro Vehicle Technology), Geely’s automotive innovation centre based in Sweden, has acquired a DiM250 dynamic driving simulator from VI-grade to enhance its research and development capabilities. The simulator is fully equipped with VI-grad’s VI-DriveSim software suite and active technology, including seats, belts, brakes and shakers.
The DiM250, which has nine degrees of freedom (DOF), is due to be installed in the second part of Geely’s campus at Lindholmen, which should be inaugurated in summer 2021. Before then, CEVT will be using the simulator elsewhere on its campus, for vehicle dynamics, ride and comfort, and ADAS applications in the development of new vehicles. A major user is expected to be the engineers from the Lynk & Co. brand.
CEVT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and covers all aspects of passenger car development, from architecture to powertrain and driveline components, to ‘top hat’ engineering (the upper body structure and exterior design).
“This investment is a crucial part of our toolbox to develop mobility solutions for a different tomorrow. It shows the importance of CEVT as a company within the Geely Auto Group, as well as a company in the automotive capital of the Nordics”, said Mats Fägerhag, CEO at CEVT. “Our ambition with the simulator is to replicate the real world in as many aspects as possible to provide our engineers with an alternative to real-world tests… anything that can be modelled on a computer in an accurate manner can be tested”.
Albin Gröndahl, CAE engineer and project manager for the driving simulator at CEVT added, “Imagine that you have a new idea for some function that you want to test in the car. In the past you had to design the function, build a prototype of it and put it in a test car, go to the test track, try it and, in the end, perhaps go on with it or do modifications. These steps can often take months and cost a lot of money for each and every part of the process.
“With the simulator you can do a simple model of the function, take it downstairs to the simulator and try it out directly. You also get direct access to all the data and better control of the test. Think about all the innovation that can take place! We can probably test our vehicles half a year before we get the prototypes for them. A design change can take a week instead of until the next prototype series, which can be due in a year”, added Gröndahl.
