On a test drive

“Today we are on the road in and around Ingolstadt and the Regensburg area to test the Audi e-tron GT’s various assistance systems,” explains Florian. “The vehicle was largely developed with digital technologies, but tests under real conditions are essential to ensure that all the systems function optimally. A variety of different data is sent to the technology in the boot which I can then read in real time on my computer”. Once all the preparation work is completed, off we go: the car accelerates with a low whirring sound, pushing you gently into the leather seats as the Audi e-tron GT briskly exits the garage and joins the traffic.

Henri confidently steers the electric Gran Turismo through the outskirts of Ingolstadt while Florian explains: “Today there are a number of systems we are going to test. For example the ABA and the SWA. “When he notices his counterpart’s quizzical look, he continues: “The Audi e-tron GT has a large number of state-of-the-art assistance systems. The ABA monitors the oncoming lane as soon as the driver sets the turn signal and can prevent a collision with another vehicle by applying the brakes. The SWA is the lane change assistant and signals the driver if there is something in the blind spot. There are also many other assistant systems. During the trip, we’ll be checking whether the systems correctly recognise the various test situations.”

It is clear that Florian has to keep a constant eye on all the systems in order to check their functionality. This is not an easy task with such a large number of systems. The PSW Car Tool was developed in order to be able to quickly select the various assistant systems: “We used to only test the pre-crash front, i.e. just one system. We are now responsible for checking around six assistant systems with the Audi e-tron GT. The PSW Car Tool helps make the tests more efficient. This enables us to test several assistance systems simultaneously and check for any unexpected triggers,” says Florian.

And what if this happens? “If, for example, the ABA does not recognise that something is in the blind spot, I mark this in the data with a time stamp so that my colleagues from the application can take a closer look and adapt the software,” says Florian.

While the Audi e-tron GT quietly cruises along, Henri explains where his work has taken him: “We travel all over the world to check the systems in every driving situation. There are extreme cold conditions and poor visibility in Sweden, heat in Nardo and challenging traffic in downtown Rome.” Florian adds: “Every city is a bit special when it comes to requirements for the assistance systems.

For example, the streets in downtown Munich are very narrow, which is a challenge for the radar systems because reflections can occur.” A couple of hours later, we are back in the PSW garage. However, the journey is not over yet For Florian and Henri; in a few minutes they will be back on the road, heading on to Regensburg. Florian's conclusion for the trip so far: “We’ve not had any false alarms so far. Let’s hope it stays that way.”