Press Release

Chrysler Announces Shorter Testing Time for "driverless" Vehicles

12/12/96

Chrysler's 'Driverless' Vehicle Capability to Shorten Product Testing
Time

CHELSEA, Mich., Dec. 10 -- The country's first
"driverless" vehicle test facility -- called the Automated Durability
Road (ADR) -- is helping to speed up vehicle development by four weeks
at Chrysler Corporation's Proving Grounds.

Three robot-driven vehicles cruise around a 1.3-mile oval track,
covering ground intended to replicate very rough road conditions --
severe potholes, bumpy railroad track crossings and cobblestone
surfaces. It's enough physical punishment to make even the most
seasoned Baja off-road competitor wince.

"This is the only track of its type in the United States," said Sue
Cischke, General Manager -- Scientific Laboratories and Proving
Grounds. "It's yet another example of Chrysler's leadership in advance
research and development with a purpose. There are a number of reasons
why we did it, but primarily we did it to accelerate our product
development and improve our 'real-world' test data.

"The first phase of conventional durability testing takes about six to
eight weeks. It is so brutal, that it only takes about 2,500 miles on
this track to equal the effect on a vehicle of driving 100,000 miles.

"Our drivers can only last about four hours a day on those
roads. Imagine hitting a head-tossing pothole every five feet for
hours on end. Needless to say, we don't have a lot of test drivers who
relish that job."

But a robot can be programmed to take that kind of punishment -- all
day long, through the night, in all kinds of weather. It will run the
same course over and over. It won't be tempted to let up on the
accelerator or swerve to avoid a particularly nasty chuckhole.

"We think we can take the testing time down from six weeks to less
than two weeks and that's a huge advantage in our ever shrinking
product cycle time," Cischke said. "We can also improve the
consistency of our tests, reduce the time our drivers are exposed to
harsh driving conditions and increase the time they are available to
drive over less severe roads."

As recent as the late 1980s, it took five years for Chrysler to take a
vehicle from the idea stage to production. Now, that cycle has been
condensed to less than 28 months, world-class by anyone's standards.

In this era of accelerated development, waiting six weeks can seem
like eons to get verification that a suspension part, such as a
control arm, can perform for more than 100,000 miles. With an assist
from smart highway technology, body and chassis engineers can get
feedback quicker and know if they should subject parts for more
lengthy endurance testing or go back and redesign the part.

"The next phase of testing normally takes four months to complete and,
if you break a part three months into that process, now you're five
months behind schedule," Cischke explained. "This way, within two
weeks, an engineer should know if a part is robust enough for future
testing."

Moreover, the real world conditions on Chrysler's ADR augment existing
tests conducted on each component, known as "bench tests," and in a
simulated driving experience, known as "road simulators."

"Body and chassis components tend to be the most expensive for
long-lead tooling," Cischke added. "We can take a lot of cost out of
the process because of the accuracy of our 'smart highway' approach to
durability testing."

To a casual observer, the test area appears to be an oversized slot
car track. But unlike a radio operated toy, smart highways are very
complex electronic and mechanical systems, according to Cischke.

Two sensors (inductive coils) in front of the vehicle pick up
frequencies from a guide wire imbedded in the track and relay that
information to a computer placed in the passenger seat. The closer the
coil gets to the guide wire, the higher the voltage. If the voltage in
the right coil is too strong, then the vehicle is drifting too far to
the left and vice versa. The computer, or vehicle controller, "steers"
by balancing the voltage at the coils. The computer directs a robot in
the driver's seat to steer, shift, brake and accelerate. Levers on the
robot act as feet and hands, pushing on the brake and accelerator and
shifting gears.

Vehicle speed, engine rpm, shock and coolant temperatures, oil
pressure and the electrical system are all monitored. The vehicles
typically travel between 25-30 mph and have reached top speeds of 45
mph.

Running a number of cars and changing lanes makes the process even
more complicated.

Transponders, communication devices the size of a roll of quarters,
and special antennas on the test vehicles help locate the vehicles at
all times. The antenna, situated near the rear license plate, sends
out a power burst to the transponders buried in the road at 100 feet
intervals. The transponder sends back a signal, indicating its exact
location. If the information doesn't match up to what the computer
expects, the computer brings all vehicles to a stop. Video cameras are
used as a backup system if a vehicle stops reporting its location. A
traffic controller manages the action from a "flight" tower and can
remotely stop a vehicle as a backup safety system.

Chrysler's ADR uses military radio communications technology. Five
special radio towers are located at strategic points around the
track. The towers help relay the vehicle's instructions from the
control tower to the vehicle. This system, known as spread spectrum
transmission, has been promoted as being especially good at keeping
messages from getting scrambled or diverted by electronic
interference, clouds, buildings, trees, etc. without a delay in
response time.

"Chrysler is an enthusiastic supporter of intelligent transportation
system technology, such as portable navigational systems and driver
information systems, and we see an application for 'smart highways' as
a tool in product development," Cischke said. "We do, however, have
some reservations about 'smart highways' for public use."