Automotive Testing

What is supposed to work tomorrow must be tested today. That sounds simple at first, and when it comes to vehicles in particular, people all too often imagine that the relaxed test driving of scenic routes is the biggest part of automotive testing. Yet the vehicle is literally more than the sum of its parts – the interaction, functionality, sustainability, endurance and communication of countless components and functions must also be tested. The question of testing becomes all the more interesting when automation is added, or the testing of (partially) autonomous driving functions that cannot be tested on real routes – and would not even make sense, not least because the necessary test routes do not even exist. In this article, we explain what Mobility Rockstars and its parent company Cognizant Mobility are doing in the field of automotive testing and present a selection of articles that we recommend for your information, education and, of course, enjoyment. If you scroll a little further, we’ll give you a detailed overview of exactly what Automotive Testing is. We wish you a lot of fun!

All Automotive Testing-Posts

First of all: This article is about engineering. Engineering, classically formulated. It’s about boundaries, alternative drives, organization across all disciplines and, above all, passion. It doesn’t...

The noise only lasted a short time. A sharp “clack” as the pebble touched the windshield. The windshield wipers have a lot to do because of the rain, and only after arriving in the driveway...

“The next generation of material development”: Strong claim from the Munich tech start-up “ExoMatter”. The company is committed to nothing less than developing a tool that can be...

Test automation – what sounds like a technical mystery is actually the invisible engine that revs up automotive innovation, figuratively speaking. But what exactly is behind this term and why should...

At a time when the world of the automotive industry is being turned upside down by the rapid emergence of autonomous vehicles and advanced vehicle technology, UNECE Guideline R155 has taken on a crucial...

Digital Sibling is a great word, because it makes things easier: Whether intentionally or unintentionally, it opens up possibilities for identical images or even just similar implementations, primarily...

Re-vo-lu-ti-on (revolutión) noun, feminine, [die]. This is what the dictionary says, and adds: “revolutionary, superseding what was previously valid, existing or similar, fundamental innovation,...

The author of these lines once had the pleasure of listening to a conversation between two Germanists who were discussing whether the word “genau” was superfluous in the German language. The...

UNECE R155/R156 and the closely related ISO/SAE 21434 are abbreviations for new standards that came into force at the beginning of 2022. In the EU, these are to apply in part from July 2022 and extend...

Requirements management is a part of requirements engineering. This, in turn, is an almost indispensable part of managing complex IT projects in which subtasks are performed by different teams in sometimes...

At present, the dream of autonomous driving is little more than that: the shared vision of an industry that is struggling to survive in a shortage of raw materials (see our article on the Industry chip...

xRPA is a buzzword and already sounds so promising: Robotic Process Automation in the extended version, no longer only serviceable to the service sector, but now also in Industry 4.0. But there is often...

Unity Game Engine is the keyword of this article, but the welcome leads, one would almost say automatically, to the question of automotive competition. Because competition is one thing. In the pop-culture...

As part of theSV events, we had the wonderful opportunity in mid-September to shine through our xRPA expert Andreas Brandlmeier with a presentation on the topic of xRPA. xRPA – The Future of Industry...

Robotic Process Automation, usually abbreviated to “RPA”, describes the basic process of automating processes to Robotic Process Automation, usually abbreviated to “RPA”, describes...

Software development has made enormous progress in recent years. Increasingly automated workflows, a new agile mindset among developers. We are even talking about the beginning of a paradigm shift in software...

Until now, A.I.-based approaches to performing complex maneuvers or testing have remained in the realm of science fiction and far from any implementation for engineering. The challenges in this area have...

What is Automotive Testing?

Of course – everything that is supposed to work had to be tested beforehand. In the automotive sector in particular, there are extensive legal requirements for every product that must be met: Here, it is not only pure functionality, sustainability, practical benefit or durability that count. The safety of drivers and road users has absolute priority. Every aspect must therefore be tested. This doesn’t just apply to how fast a vehicle goes, or how many kilometers the engine lasts. But how many times can you actually open and close the driver’s door before the lock or door handle fails, or the key? How often can the brake pedal be operated before it gives way? How often can a turn signal flash, and does the corresponding control unit warn in time when the tire pressure is low or the next service is due?

automotive-testing_cognizant-mobility-rockstars_category-text
Most modern testing takes place digitally, or is at least digitally controlled and evaluated.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg – vehicles are now more than ever “rolling devices”, driving computers, equipped with control units, software, high-performance computing platforms and many electronic components that need to be supplied with over-the-air updates. And when autonomous driving functions come into play, there won’t be enough test routes and drivers in the world to cover the billions of kilometers that need to be tested. How does an A.I. that is to perform emergency braking react in the case of different road users:inside? If a participant is one meter to the left? In the rain? Without light? In sub-zero temperatures? On a mountain? The factors that can make up a situation are hard to count. All the more important is extensive testing that can cover all possible scenarios, regular and irregular test cases, evaluated by experienced test engineers who can develop and implement test scenarios, including detailed documentation.

Why is Automotive Testing so important?

An example that is certainly too simplistic, but nevertheless obvious: no serious chef gives out a dish without first tasting it. Intensively testing one’s own product for every conceivable (and unthinkable!) weakness is an essential characteristic of high-quality companies. In the case of vehicles, there is also a high legal barrier before the product is approved in order to ensure the safety of users and road users.

Defects in production can also be detected at an early stage through conscientious automotive testing, further driving technological development. In this way, conscientious companies also ensure a good reputation for their products.

Modern testing methods are also immensely relevant for companies: Where test engineers used to have to set up, run and evaluate tests manually, this can now be automated, for example through Robotic Process Automation in Industry 4.0.

automotive-testing_cognizant-mobility-rockstars_rpa
Effective automotive testing includes virtualization and automation of tests in addition to intensive knowledge of possible test scenarios.

Automotive Testing and the Cognizant Mobility

Cognizant Mobility has been working with well-known OEMs for years – in some cases decades – and sees itself as an expert provider in the supply chain that can not only automate tests, but also virtualize them and take them to the next level.

Our testing experts specialize in CAD interface testing, Robotic Process Automation (also in the “extended” version for Industry 4.0 projects) and, in partnership with the parent company Cognizant, virtual testing, for example in test environments simulated via Unity or Unreal Engine.

Feel free to browse through our articles on automotive testing and discover not only exciting and entertaining articles, but also feel free to contact us if you need a reliable partner from requirements management to the final test setup.

You can find the contact form here, we are looking forward to meeting you!