Monthly Archives: October 2021

TOYO and Iwane Announce the Alpha Node, a Driving Simulator for 360° Screens

Supporting the Development Efforts of Electric and Autonomous Vehicles, New Software for Large-scale Driving Simulators and ADAS Camera Verification 

Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2021 – TOYO Corporation announces the availability of the Alpha Node, a driving simulator that uses real video footage to enable virtual driving with a 360° graphic screen. The Alpha Node was co-developed with Iwane Laboratories. Building on the innovations of the Real Video Drive Player (RVDP), another TOYO-developed driving simulator, the new Alpha Node expands the display range to a full 360° and the image can be adjusted to any dimension. It can be used for large-scale driving simulators such as cylindrical, or partial sphere screens. The Alpha Node can also be adapted for ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) camera verification, which requires testing from multiple points of view.

Highway scene projected on cylindrical screens.  The first image is the rearview and the second image is the front view from the vehicle

During the development of electric vehicles (EV), ADAS, and autonomous vehicles, driving simulators need to support the concepts of immersion and realism as they aid engineers in evaluating and tuning the vehicle behavior and design.  Until now, driving simulation spaces are built using Computer Graphics (CG); but they provide experiences that are markedly different from real road driving tests. Actual driving tests required for EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) and ADAS camera verification need resources and time to create a testing environment and test-driving process.  But because of the processing requirements, constructing more realistic simulation spaces requires months of development.

The Alpha Node is a driving simulator that uses actual videos instead of CG. Engineers can drive virtual vehicles using real video footage with speed and steering angle information synchronized.  They can evaluate and tune vehicle behavior and design. The simulation space is created using previously recorded footage captured with a 360° camera reducing the time to create simulation spaces over traditional CG methods. The Alpha Node integrates with vehicle motion simulators such as CarSim and CarMaker.  CarSim is developed by Mechanical Simulation of the United States, while CarMaker is developed by IPG Automotive of Germany. Both simulate the performance of passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks.

Video being outputted

The Alpha Node supports 360° images that the RVDP does yet provide.  Multiple scenes can be sequenced from one single footage.  Scenes with different viewpoints or cuts in certain areas can be utilized. The Alpha Node supports lane detection tests for the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) or the Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS).  It also supports tests such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) that require the detection of lead vehicles and pedestrians.  Several real video scenes can be manipulated, synchronized, and evaluated at the same time to test the performance of multiple camera systems on autonomous vehicles. TOYO Corporation contributes to the efficient development of EV and autonomous vehicles with the introduction of the Alpha Node.

Scenes are displayed on a cylindrical screen using the Alpha Node.
Image 4 is the front view. Image 5 is the front, middle view and image 6 is the rear right view from the vehicle.

The key features of the Alpha Node include:
・ Utilizes real video footage instead of CG models
・Displays 360° or cut images
・Supports 360° cylindrical, or partial sphere screens
・Incorporates anti-shake camera technology
・Synchronizes video footage with vehicle behavior
・Changes the viewpoint of drivers
・Reproduces vehicle movement and view changes along with steering wheel operation
・Reproduces different paths caused by lane changes or other vehicle movements
・Integrates with advanced vehicle modeling software
・Links with advanced GPS (GNSS)
・Records videos of driving tests
・Imports and displays any 3D objects
・Supports multiple drivers in the same simulation space

The Alpha Node is now shipping. Please contact TOYO or your sales representative if you would like to see a demo or if you need more information.

About Iwane Laboratories, Ltd.

Founded in 1979, Iwane develops the latest image processing technology under its operating philosophy of: “We realize we are loved by the earth, and we love the earth.”  Iwane’s 3D GIS (Geographic Information System) is widely used in the field of road traffic such as geography and road surface and has gained an excellent reputation globally.  Its market-first, patented and innovative CV (camera vector) technology rapidly converts 2D Spherical video into 3D and enabling the acquisition of 3D road information. For more information, please visit the company’s website at  www.iwane.com/eng.

About TOYO Corporation’s Automotive Business

Focusing on advanced automotive technological areas, TOYO has been strengthening its sales force and sharing its technical know-how among various teams since 2018.  There have been growing needs for EMC testing in the automotive space with the increased use of electronics in automobiles and the active development of ADAS and autonomous driving technologies. With 40 plus years of experience in EMC testing, a large number of installations for manufacturers and EMC test service providers, and consultation by our EMC engineers, many of which are iNARTE-certified, TOYO will continue to propose its own EMC test system for in-vehicle equipment that best suits the customer’s needs and contribute to the improvement of car safety.  iNARTE-certified is a global technical certification created by iNARTE (The International Association for Radio, Telecommunications, and Electromagnetics), a US non-profit organization, to recognize the skills of EMC engineers.  For more information, please visit the company’s US website at www.toyotechus.com.

Contact
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