Interoperability Challenges and Opportunities in Vehicle-in-the-loop Testings: Insights from NUVE Lab's Hybrid Setup

Abstract

Research and innovation in Vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) testing is garnering more attention than ever. Integrating cyber-physical systems into the VIL setups further enhances their functionality and hybridizes the testing. Setting up any VIL infrastructure involves substantial investments and critical analysis of the resources. This study focuses on such a VIL testing infrastructure development at NUVE-Lab, aiming to provide state-of-the-art facilities for hybrid automotive testing. The facility includes components such as a heavy tractor, dynamometers, an Actuators power need generation system (APGS) system, and battery emulators (BE), complemented by digital twins (DTs) of each physical machine, process and environment to automate the testing facilities. This research examines various interoperability challenges within the current VIL framework. Three distinct testing scenarios are created to assess the overall functionalities of the hybrid setup: dynamometer-in-the-loop, APGS-in-the-loop, and BE-in-the-loop. Analyzing individual cases highlighted the need for different modeling and simulation (M/S) tools to develop digital twins. Among the tools, SIMULINK is used to build and refine the models of DTs, whereas MATLAB is used to develop control algorithms. The study also explores the adoption of Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) standards to facilitate seamless interoperability among modeling and simulation tools. Additionally, the potential integration of the Eclipse Arrowhead framework, an IoT-edge-based automation tool, is discussed to enhance efficient data management, service interoperability, and the integration of various cyber-physical system components. In conclusion, this paper outlines the interconnection of the digital and physical platforms to evolve a hybrid VIL test laboratory, envisioning the future trajectory of the NUVE-Lab.