The fortiss research and transfer institute for software-intensive systems at the Technische Universität München, presents its experimental platform for the evaluation of innovative software and software architecture concepts for electro-mobility in Nuremberg. The electric vehicle of the future, designed by fortiss, is based on both the eCorner concept and the X-by-wire technology and comprises four individually controllable wheel hub motors, thus enabling entirely new movement sequences, like for example parallel parking.
While they have been a standard in railroad applications for ages, many representatives of the automotive industry still do not seem to have confidence in wheel hub motors. But if one takes a closer look, a number of advantages become evident for the use of these drives in modern electric cars. Because of that, Siemens VDO (today Continental) took the decision to invest in the further development of wheel hub motors already several years ago. The eCorner modules do not only comprise a motor that can also be used as a generator brake; they also provide suspension and steering and thus reduce the weight considerably. Gear boxes, differentials, steering axles and drive shafts are no longer needed. Even the mechanical friction brakes can be made redundant in a number of cases.
The electric car is entirely controlled via an IP-based communication network (X-by-wire). As a vehicle bus, a newly developed real-time protocol with time synchronisation, based on the IEEE standard 1588, is being used. This real-time protocol has been specifically adapted to the requirements of electro-mobility.
It is one of the goals of the experimental platform to develop a data-centric architecture in order to reduce the communication relationships between the single functional elements of the vehicle. At the same time, the network structure shall be considerably simplified and the number of control units reduced, possibly by using multi-cores. A further aspect lies in the exploration of various concepts of virtualisation of the control units, partly based on IMA architectures similar to current developments in avionics. The development and testing of mechanisms for error tolerance is a further focus of the project in order to advance the vehicle's dependability and reliability.
The experimental platform weights some 500 kg (approx. 1.150 lbs.). Its four eCorner modules provide a nominal power of 2 kW each and allow for a maximum speed of some 50 km/h (approx. 32 mph). Each drive puts a torque of 160 Nm on the street - which makes the platform behave like a sports car.
fortiss GmbH is an exhibitor at this year's embedded world in Nuremberg on the joint stand of the Micro-Systems Technology Cluster (Cluster Mikrosystemtechnik) in hall 9, stand 468.
fortiss GmbH - An-Institut der Technischen Universität München
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