Skip to main content

AB Dynamics platform adds cyclists and pedestrians to ADAS and AV testing

UK-based AB Dynamics (ABD) has released its LaunchPad platform with the intention of offering choreographed control of all mobile features involved in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle testing. The solution, according to Jeremy Ash, the company’s commercial manager, will help create complex scenarios that potentially involve multiple pedestrians, cyclists and cars that are all synchronised and coordinated with the test vehicle. LaunchPad’s power controller runs on the comp
March 27, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
UK-based AB Dynamics (ABD) has released its LaunchPad platform with the intention of offering choreographed control of all mobile features involved in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle testing. The solution, according to Jeremy Ash, the company’s commercial manager, will help create complex scenarios that potentially involve multiple pedestrians, cyclists and cars that are all synchronised and coordinated with the test vehicle.


LaunchPad’s power controller runs on the company’s Robot Controller software. The proprietary TrackFi radio shares position data with other ABD controllers via the Syncrho interface, which aims to allow its motion to be synchronised with the test vehicle and other ADAS targets. The self-propelled chassis, at 65mm height, is said to carry pedestrian, cyclist, moped, scooter and animal dummies at speeds up to 50kph.

The trajectory of the system can be programmed using a graphical path generation utility to help simplify the process of creating and running complex scenarios with multiple moving objects.

In addition, the aluminium chassis comes with shallow sloping sides that allow it to be repeatedly run over. Batteries can be replaced without removing the target.
 
“LaunchPad has taken us a further step towards testing ADAS performance under every potential scenario that could arise, able to represent even the unpredictable behaviour of an animal on the highway. It’s one reason why 100% of 6437 Euro NCAP test laboratories use our products for ADAS testing”, Ash added.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CMOS cameras used to create video pedestrian crossing
    June 11, 2013
    The city of Cologne, Germany has installed two CMOS-camera based video pedestrian light systems that will recognise waiting pedestrians and extend the green phase if there are still people crossing after the standard time allocation. The system, implemented by Siemens, uses two Flir cameras. The safe walk camera observes the waiting area. A stereo camera with two CMOS 1/3-inch mono sensors and 3 mm lenses is mounted 3.5 metres above the ground to cover an area of 12 sq m. This camera is set to recognise on
  • Exchanging Places event causes cyclists to rethink their cycling habits
    February 21, 2014
    Almost everyone who got behind the wheel of a heavy goods vehicle at the London Bike Show said that the experience caused them to rethink the way they cycle. More than 850 cyclists took part in Exchanging Places run by Crossrail and the Metropolitan Police Service, which allows them to see the road from a lorry driver’s point of view and get a better understanding of what drivers can and cannot see. Most were unaware of the size of blind spots from inside the driver’s cab. Chief Superintendent Sultan
  • 3D perception & Lidar from Seoul Robotics
    March 31, 2022
    Human beings are unpredictable. Which gives drivers a problem when approaching a junction where pedestrians are crossing.
  • What are the top 10 riskiest US states for cyclists?
    May 11, 2021
    Delaware takes unwanted top slot in StreetLight Data analysis - but Massachusetts is safest