DUMMY VEHICLE COMPRISING A SENSOR-SENSITIVE LAYER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dummy vehicle for performing tests for driver assistance systems. The dummy vehicle comprises a vehicle element reproducing a part of a vehicle to be simulated. The vehicle element forms a shell structure, wherein the shell structure comprises an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer is arranged further outwardly in the shell structure than the inner layer. The outer layer is transparent to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system, and the inner layer is designed to be sensor-sensitive to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system.

Claims

1. A dummy vehicle (100) for performing tests for driver assistance systems, the dummy vehicle (100) comprising: a vehicle element (101) reproducing a part of a vehicle to be simulated, wherein the vehicle element (101) forms a shell structure (103), wherein the shell structure comprises an outer layer (104) and an inner layer (105), wherein the outer layer (104) is arranged further outwardly in the shell structure (103) than the inner layer (105), wherein the outer layer (104) is transparent to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system, wherein the inner layer (105) is sensor-sensitive to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system.

2. The dummy vehicle (100) according to claim 1, wherein the shell structure (103) forms a hollow body having an internal volume.

3. The dummy vehicle (100) according to claim 1, wherein the shell structure comprises a filler material around which the inner layer (105) is placed.

4. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner layer (105) comprises a thermally reflective material.

5. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner layer (105) is heatable.

6. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inner layer (105) comprises a radar-reflective material.

7. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer layer (104) is radar transparent.

8. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer layer (104) consists of a foam material.

9. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the outer layer (104) is electrically non-conductive.

10. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the thickness of the outer layer (104) and the thickness of the inner layer (105) are such that the area of the inner surface is at least 70% of the outer surface, in particular 80% to 90% of the outer surface.

11. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the thickness of the outer layer (104) is 0.1 cm or 0.5 cm to 30 cm, in particular 2 cm to 15 cm, in particular 5 cm to 10 cm.

12. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the inner layer (105) is formed as a foil.

13. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the inner layer (105) is electrically conductive.

14. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner layer (105) forms a metallic layer.

15. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the outer layer (104) is formed of polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin materials (polyethylene, polypropylene) or polyurethane.

16. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein an optical layer, in particular an optical film, is applied to the outer layer (104).

17. The dummy vehicle (100) according to claim 16, wherein the optical layer consists of polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane.

18. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, further comprising a coupling member (106) for coupling to a platform movable on the ground.

19. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, further comprising a further vehicle element (102) which is free of a radar-reflective layer.

20. The dummy vehicle (100) according to claim 19, wherein the further vehicle element (102) reproduces a window area of a further part of the vehicle to be simulated.

21. The dummy vehicle (100) according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the vehicle element (101) and the further vehicle element (102) are integrally formed.

22. The dummy vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the further vehicle element (102) has a further shell structure which, together with the shell structure of the vehicle element (101), forms the hollow body (103).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In the following, for further explanation and for a better understanding of the present invention, embodiments are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a dummy vehicle for simulating a motorcycle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a dummy vehicle for simulating an automobile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0046] The same or similar components in different figures are provided with the same reference numerals. The illustrations in the figures are schematic.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a dummy vehicle 100 in the form of a motorcycle for performing tests for driver assistance systems according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The dummy vehicle 100 comprises a vehicle element 101 which reproduces a part of a vehicle to be simulated. The vehicle element 101 forms a shell structure 103, the shell structure having an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer is arranged further outwardly in the shell structure 103 than the inner layer 105. The outer layer is transparent 104 to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system, wherein the inner layer 105 is sensor-sensitive to sensor signals from sensors of the driver assistance system.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the shell structure forms a hollow body 103, the shell structure having an outer layer 104 and an inner layer 105.

[0049] The dummy vehicle 100 according to the invention reproduces the motorcycle to be simulated. In particular, the dummy vehicle 100 is perceptible or detectable by the radar sensors of the driver assistance system of another vehicle. The dummy vehicle 100 may move in the surroundings of the vehicle in which the driver assistance system is installed.

[0050] The dummy vehicle 100 according to the invention comprises several different vehicle elements 101. Each vehicle element 101 reproduces a part of the vehicle to be simulated. For example, a vehicle element 101 may reproduce a longitudinal axis, a tank, an engine block, a seat or a base frame of the motorcycle to be simulated. In particular, the vehicle elements 101 reproduce parts of the motorcycle to be simulated which, for example, have metallic structures and reflect radar waves, for example.

[0051] The inner layer 105 is the layer of the shell structure that is in contact with the cavity 103. The inner layer 105 is shown in dashed manner in FIG. 1.

[0052] The outer layer 104 is in particular formed from a lightweight foam material which is, for example, elastic and dimensionally stable. The foam material is in particular formed such that the vehicle element 101 is self-supporting.

[0053] On the inside of the outer layer 104, the inner layer 105 is provided with a sensor-sensitive, for example radar-reflective, material. In particular, the inner layer 105 does not contribute to the dimensional stability of the vehicle element 101 but may for example be flexible.

[0054] The outer layer 104 is electrically non-conductive. In other words, the material may be electrically insulating and correspondingly non-conductive so that the radar wave reflection is enabled exclusively by the radar-reflective inner layer 105.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1, the thickness of the outer layer 104 and the thickness of the inner layer 105 are such that the area of the inner surface is at least 70% of the outer surface, in particular 80% to 90% of the outer surface.

[0056] The inner layer 105 is electrically conductive. The inner layer 100 is in particular a metallic layer. For example, the inner layer 105 may be a metallic foil. The outer layer 104 is formed of, for example, rigid foam, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyphenil or polyurethane.

[0057] The dummy vehicle 100 further comprises a coupling member 106 for coupling to a platform movable on the ground. The movable platform (not shown) may be individually controlled along a path of travel on the ground, for example.

[0058] Moreover, further vehicle elements 102 are shown which are free of a radar-reflective layer. For example, the further vehicle element 102 may adjoin the vehicle element 101 having the radar-reflective layer so that the vehicle element 101 and the further vehicle element 102 together form the hollow body 103. Alternatively, the vehicle element 101 and the further vehicle element 102 may form separate hollow bodies.

[0059] For example, the further vehicle element 102 reproduces a part of the vehicle to be simulated which also has no or hardly any radar-reflective properties. For example, the further vehicle element 102 may represent openings in the rim of the motorcycle as shown in FIG. 1.

[0060] Further, the vehicle element 101 may include a cavity 103 that simulates specific shapes of a metallic component of a vehicle to be stimulated. For example, in FIG. 1, an engine block 107 is simulated by means of a cavity 103 in the base frame of a vehicle element 101 of the motorcycle shown. In this regard, the cavity 103 has the specific shape of the engine block 107. On the inside, the inner layer 105, which has radar-reflective properties, surrounds the cavity 103 and thus replicates the shape of the engine block 107. For example, the inner layer 105 may emit radiation as sensor signals, such as temperature radiation. For example, a generator, such as a heat source, of sensor signals may be arranged in the vehicle element 101, with the inner layer 105 emitting such thermal radiation to the outside. For example, an engine block 107 of a vehicle may be simulated.

[0061] Thus, with the formation of the shell structure, for example, a solid body representing the outer layer may be formed in which a cavity corresponding to the shape of an object to be simulated is formed. The inner layer is arranged around the cavity on the outer layer so that, for example, radar-reflective inner components of the vehicle, such as an engine block, may also be simulated in addition to the outer geometry of a vehicle element.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a dummy vehicle 100 in the form of an automobile. The dummy vehicle 100 shown has several different vehicle elements 101. Each vehicle element 101 reproduces a part of the automobile to be simulated. For example, a vehicle element 101 may reproduce an engine hood, vehicle body, or door of the automobile to be simulated. In particular, the vehicle elements 101 comprising the radar-reflective inner layer 105 reproduce parts of the automobile to be simulated which, for example, comprise metallic structures or reflect radar waves.

[0063] Further, regions of the vehicle dummy 100 are shown that represent further vehicle elements 102. The further vehicle elements 102 reproduce, for example, window areas or headlights of the automobile to be simulated. In this regard, the vehicle elements 102 have no radar-reflective or a barely radar-reflective inner layers 105.

[0064] The vehicle elements 101 and the further vehicle elements 102 may be integrally formed. For example, the vehicle element 101 and the further vehicle element 102 may be formed together from a foam material, wherein no radar-reflective inner layer 105 is provided in the region of the further vehicle element 102.

[0065] Supplementally, it should be noted that “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. It should further be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to any of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as a limitation.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0066] 100 Dummy vehicle [0067] 101 Vehicle element [0068] 102 Further vehicle element [0069] 103 Hollow body [0070] 104 Outer layer [0071] 105 Inner layer [0072] 106 Coupling member [0073] 107 Engine block