A vehicle test system includes a free-wheeling automobile wheel including a rim defining a rim passage, and a bearing that extends through the rim passage such that the bearing is outside the rim to support the free-wheeling automobile wheel and retracts through the rim passage such that the bearing is inside the rim.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to measuring rims and methods for measuring a brake abrasion of a wheel brake having a measuring rim. In one embodiment, consistent with the present disclosure, a measuring rim is disclosed including a circumferential tire support surface connected on one side to an end wall and on an opposite side to a seal to form an outwardly closed inner space, and a rotary feed-through provided on a central region of the end wall, the rotary feed-through configured to supply a gaseous medium to the inner space of the measuring rim and remove it therefrom.

Embodiments of an axle monitoring system of the present invention generally include an oil bath cap plug equipped with a sensor assembly containing one or more power provision components, and an oil level monitor, a humidity/temperature sensor, a vibrational energy detector, and/or a GPS tracking chip, all of which are mounted on a microcircuit board, wherein the sensor assembly is adapted and configured to be fitted inside the axle oil bath cap plug. In various embodiments, information and/or data obtained by the sensor assembly can be transmitted, in raw or processed form, to one or more remote devices. Embodiments of a method of using embodiments of an axle monitoring system of the present invention are also provided.

A wear computing system (100, 200, 300) for computing a wear of a wheel (3) of a vehicle (2) comprises a revolution sensor (48) configured to detect a number of revolutions of the wheel (3), an acceleration sensor (49) configured to detect an acceleration of the vehicle (2) in a travel direction thereof, and a control unit (7) configured to compute a travel distance of the vehicle from the acceleration of the vehicle, and compute the wear from the travel distance and the number of revolutions of the wheel (3).

An electronic ledger stores vehicle data including a distance travelled by a vehicle wheel assembly during operation and a number of instances of repair of the vehicle wheel assembly. A health status of the vehicle wheel assembly can be determined based on the vehicle data. Transfer of custody of the vehicle wheel assembly from a first entity to a second entity is based on the health status of the vehicle wheel assembly. Data indicating the custody transfer can be stored to the electronic ledger.

An electronic ledger stores vehicle data including a distance travelled by a vehicle wheel assembly during operation and a number of instances of repair of the vehicle wheel assembly. A health status of the vehicle wheel assembly can be determined based on the vehicle data. Transfer of custody of the vehicle wheel assembly from a first entity to a second entity is based on the health status of the vehicle wheel assembly. Data indicating the custody transfer can be stored to the electronic ledger.

A vehicle wheel assembly position measurement apparatus measures, at each of at least three measurement positions in a circumferential direction, a distance in a vehicle width direction between each of plural measurement points located on a specified line that crosses a lateral surface of a tire section from an inner circumferential end to an outer circumferential end and a respective one of distance measuring instruments, calculates an approximate curve indicating a relationship between a position in an extending direction of the specified line and the distance of each of the measurement points at the respective measurement position, calculates a rotation center position of a wheel assembly from a specific position of the approximate curve at the measurement position, and calculates a height position of the wheel assembly relative to a vehicle body from the rotation center position and a height position of a specified portion of the vehicle body.

Disclosed in this invention is a flat-belt type VTEHIL test bench for commercial vehicles, including a main bench body and a bench test system. The main bench body is mounted inside a foundation and includes a main bench frame, a bench cover, front axle flat-belt assemblies and rear axle flat-belt assemblies. Each front axle flat-belt assembly is provided therein with a fixed plate, a rotary disc and a limiting mechanism. Each rear axle flat-belt assembly includes a flat belt and flat belt pulleys disposed both within the flat belt at opposing ends thereof. The foundation defines a sector-shaped mounting depression in which the main bench body is mounted, and an iron floor is arranged under the main bench body. This invention can better simulate actual driving surfaces and accommodate two-axle, three-axle, four-axle and other types of trucks or tractors. The test bench is able to test unmanned driving capabilities of intelligent commercial vehicles by allowing them to take lane changing, turning, braking and other driving actions in simulated setups and providing them with various traffic scenarios created with simulated traffic participants.

Disclosed in this invention is a flat-belt type VTEHIL test bench for commercial vehicles, including a main bench body and a bench test system. The main bench body is mounted inside a foundation and includes a main bench frame, a bench cover, front axle flat-belt assemblies and rear axle flat-belt assemblies. Each front axle flat-belt assembly is provided therein with a fixed plate, a rotary disc and a limiting mechanism. Each rear axle flat-belt assembly includes a flat belt and flat belt pulleys disposed both within the flat belt at opposing ends thereof. The foundation defines a sector-shaped mounting depression in which the main bench body is mounted, and an iron floor is arranged under the main bench body. This invention can better simulate actual driving surfaces and accommodate two-axle, three-axle, four-axle and other types of trucks or tractors. The test bench is able to test unmanned driving capabilities of intelligent commercial vehicles by allowing them to take lane changing, turning, braking and other driving actions in simulated setups and providing them with various traffic scenarios created with simulated traffic participants.

A method of calibrating positions of wheels in an AGV, the method including positioning a second wheel tangentially on an imaginary second circle centered with respect to a center position in which a first wheel is fixed; driving the second wheel a second distance along the second circle such that the AGV rotates about the center position; determining the second distance based on data from a second wheel sensor device of the second wheel; determining an angle of rotation about the center position based on data from a first steering sensor device of the first wheel during the rotation of the AGV; and determining relative positions between the first wheel and the second wheel based on the second distance and the angle of rotation. An AGV is also provided.