Opal-RT Unveils RT-LAB TestDrive

Fully Programmable Powertrain and Vehicle Simulator for ECU-in-the-Loop Testing

DETROIT, March 9 -- Opal-RT Technologies Inc. (www.opal-rt.com ), the world leader in distributed real-time simulation on PC-based platforms, today unveiled RT-LAB TestDrive(TM) -- a software configurable simulator designed and optimized for today's ECU software developers.

The announcement is the company's third at this year's SAE World Congress. Opal-RT had previously announced a new family of FPGA I/O products and SignalWire(TM) -- a new data transfer technology that provides RT-LAB(TM) users with improved performance while maintaining the flexibility of IEEE 1394. (See press releases "Opal-RT Technologies Launches New Family of FPGA I/O Products" & "Opal-RT Technologies Introduces SignalWire" dated March 8, 2004)

As the number of ECUs and the amount of software continues to multiply in next-generation vehicle designs, it has become increasingly difficult to fully test each individual ECU and the ECU-ECU interface using static simulators. New requirements have emerged, including greater test repeatability, incorporation of inter-related dynamic signals, higher number of I/O signals in new ECU designs, and the ability to configure a simulator for multiple ECU programs.

An ideal replacement for static simulators and the current generation of programmable simulators, RT-LAB TestDrive achieves low unit cost through off- the-shelf hardware technologies and a common FPGA-based I/O module design. RT-LAB TestDrive comes with sufficient I/O to interface with today's most demanding engine and transmission control ECUs, with further expansion through plug-and-play I/O modules. All I/O channels are equipped with an integrated, configurable conditioning and protection stage. The software allows selection of output stage type, channel configuration, signal range and scaling. For testing higher levels of integration, such as a chassis/powertrain combination, multiple "TestDrives" can be brought together through an IEEE 1394 "Firewire(TM)" link. In addition to being a standalone simulator, RT-LAB TestDrive can serve as an I/O processor in a multi-processor RT-LAB Engineering Simulator for real-time closed-loop simulation using high fidelity plant models.

According to Wensi Jin, Automotive Business Development Manager at Opal-RT Technologies, "Our objective in developing RT-LAB TestDrive is to provide our customers with a cost-effective, software configurable replacement for static simulators. It addresses several critical shortcomings with today's simulators such as test repeatability, confidence in the simulator set up, and remote access. RT-LAB TestDrive also opens the way for easy transition from open loop testing to closed loop testing that more closely simulates conditions that the ECU would experience in the vehicle."

With the ability to configure all the I/O channels in software, the software engineer is freed from the burden of configuring the hardware using jumpers and switches. With RT-LAB TestDrive, the user can always be sure that the simulator is correctly configured and the test will start in a known and controlled state, without worrying whether someone has changed jumpers on the I/O hardware, potentially causing erroneous results or even damage to the system.

User interface features include a software configurable Tactile Interface Module (TIM) providing physical knobs and switches for manual control and tuning, as well as LEDs for visual feedback. Both the TIM and Windows-based RT-LAB TestDrive GUI can be physically separate from the simulators, which can be centrally located for lab space optimization.

RT-LAB TestDrive is a networked simulator. Whether using it in the lab, accessing it via a local area network or performing tests remotely via the Internet, the same user interface allows the engineer to configure and execute tests without being near the simulator.

To facilitate ECU software testing from a remote location, RT-LAB TestDrive allows test automation scripts to be downloaded and run directly on the real-time processor. Outputs from a running simulation can be channeled to data files for post-processing, making RT-LAB TestDrive a perfect fit for lights-out testing.

About Opal-RT Technologies Inc.

Opal-RT provides software, hardware, and related solutions for real-time simulation applications, with the aim of enabling real-time parallel processing through flexible and affordable technologies. The company offers a full range of engineering simulation products -- from enabling technologies to turnkey engineering simulators -- and consulting services that include systems integration, software development, simulation and modeling, problem-solving, and training. Opal-RT's core expertise is in distributed hard-real-time simulation, with experienced engineers designing real-time simulators for automotive, electrical power, aerospace, robotics, and other industries where fidelity and fault tolerance requirements push rapid prototyping and hardware- in-the-loop testing to their limits. Opal-RT's unique approach integrates parallel, distributed computing with commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. The resulting RT-LAB product range enables customers to develop simulations quickly, easily, affordably, and competitively. For more information about Opal-RT's range of Engineering Simulators and Distributed Processing Tools, see www.opal-rt.com .

About RT-LAB

RT-LAB is the real-time technology that revolutionizes the way model-based design is performed within the engineering organization. Through its openness, RT-LAB has the flexibility to be applied to any simulation and control problem, and scalability to provide a low-risk entry point for any application, allowing the developer to add computation power where and when needed -- whether to dramatically speed up simulations or for real-time hardware-in-the-loop applications.

RT-LAB, TestDrive, and SignalWire are registered trademarks of Opal-RT Technologies Inc.

Firewire is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Corporation

NOTE TO EDITORS: Opal-RT Technologies Inc., 2004 SAE World Congress, Booth #1222, Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan.