Attracting the best and the brightest minds to collaborate and solve challenges can be seen as a surefire way to make technological advances. That’s what the organizers of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) had in mind when they launched an autonomous race car competition in 2021, with its $1 million grand prize and its focus on inspiring university students around the world to imagine and invent the next generation of automated vehicle software.
This year, the IAC has welcomed NI, formerly known as National Instruments, as its official hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) technology sponsor. HIL is a technique for testing complex systems that simulates real-world environments without the time and cost associated with actual physical tests.
As NI explained, HIL can connect real signals from an electronic control unit (ECU) to a test system, tricking it into thinking it is in the assembled product. HIL can, for instance, replace the engine in a car with a simulation comprised of hardware and software that interacts with real input/output as though the physical engine were present. This enables the running of thousands of possible scenarios, along with updates to incorporate ECU or engine software changes.
According to a press release, the IAC turned to NI technology because of its complete infrastructure, capabilities and openness. It chose NI’s ADAS and automated driving HIL system for its seamless integration with existing and future third-party components and software — ensuring program innovation and interoperability by alleviating the challenge of finding a HIL provider to work across all the undefined space. By leveraging the NI system, the IAC team will be able to validate car architectures and thoroughly test components in a controlled environment before hitting the racetrack.
A primary goal of the IAC is advancing technology that can speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), leading to increased safety and performance in all modes of transportation. The competition is also a platform for students to excel in STEM.
“Being chosen as the leading provider of HIL technology for IAC is an incredible honor, and we are thrilled to collaborate closely with the IAC team and their industry collaborators,” said Jeffrey Phillips, director of transportation marketing at NI. “Autonomous driving is a complex endeavor that requires collaboration and collective effort, and by joining forces with IAC, we can gain firsthand insight into the challenges faced by our customers. This invaluable experience will allow us to accelerate the implementation of new innovations that the industry needs to realize the ultimate goal of safe autonomous vehicles.”
