DRI News

DRI’s Soft Motorcycle 360 has received official approval for utilization in Euro NCAP testing.

A next-generation Powered Two-Wheeler (PTW) test target, the Soft Motorcycle 360 as a powerful solution to improve motorcycle safety. It features a cutting-edge design with multi-layered construction and unique rotating wheels that simulate a realistic Doppler effect for radar sensors.

This ensures precise recognition by vehicle sensor systems like cameras and LiDAR. Its modular, lightweight, abrasion-resistant rubberized material allows for quick assembly and reconstruction post-impact, reducing downtime and minimizing potential vehicle damage.

The Soft Motorcycle 360 has been accredited for use alongside AB Dynamics’ LaunchPad 80 target platform. Together, they can be utilized to conduct all Euro NCAP motorcycle based ADAS test scenarios, including:

– Car to Motorcycle Rear Stationary (CMRs)

– Car to Motorcycle Rear braking (CMRb)

– Car to Motorcycle Front turn across path (CMFtap)

– Car to Motorcycle oncoming (CMoncoming)

– Car to Motorcycle overtaking (CMovertaking)

The LaunchPad 80, an approved PTW target platform since 2022, can safely conduct tests at speeds exceeding 80 km/h and braking at over 0.6g, surpassing Euro NCAP’s requirements. With exceptional stability and maneuverability, it facilitates ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing in complex scenarios involving motorcyclists and moped targets.

For more information, contact us at info@dynres.com.

This year DRI and AB Dynamics together celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first sale of the Guided Soft Target (GST) surrogate vehicle target system.

The GST test system consists of the Soft Car 360 – an impactable dummy vehicle target attached to a low-profile robotic platform designed to be run over by vehicles. In this article we will delve into the history of this solution, which has had a significant impact of the development of active safety systems globally.

The GST story starts in 2007 when crash avoidance technologies, such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), were still in their infancy and so too were the systems to test them. A variety of targets, ranging from simple radar reflectors to partial vehicle representations (both static and dynamic), were developed to aid in the evaluation of rear end collision avoidance and mitigation systems, but these had limitations restricting approach speeds and angles, as well as lateral offsets. Additionally, some of the dynamic systems required the presence of other vehicles to tow the targets, or suspend them from above, which could sometimes adversely affect the performance of the vehicles under test.

It was at this time that DRI collaborated with NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) on the ACAT (Advanced Crash Avoidance Technologies) project, together with Honda. The project aimed to develop practical methods for evaluating the effectiveness of emerging ADAS technologies. A key phase of the project was to establish the test requirements in order to conduct full-scale testing of the technologies.

The project identified three key vehicle-to-vehicle scenarios that would need to be tested, which were head on, rear end and crossing paths. These tests necessitated a dynamic solution that was strikeable from multiple angles without causing damage to the vehicle under test. The solution: the GST system. Through this project, DRI became fundamental in finding ways to help the industry test and develop first-generation collision avoidance systems that have since been developed into today’s technologies.

The initial development of what would become recognisable as the GST system used a simple vehicle target constructed from foam, fitted to a first-generation version of the GST platform, which was affectionately known internally as the ‘Turtle’. It was the first self-propelled dummy vehicle target that could be safely run over, providing unrivalled testing flexibility. Designed initially for detection by lidar, the system’s visual representation of a vehicle and its radar reflectivity were less relevant. The entire system was designed and manufactured in-house at DRI, including the platform’s navigation and control system.

DRI recognised that the appearance and durability of the target needed to be improved to be useful to manufacturers using camera and radar systems and this formed the core development path for the following few years. A project with IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) in 2011 and feedback from other industry experts identified a demand for stable radar reflectivity, which resulted in the introduction of a new reflective material for the Soft Car 360. Other developments included enclosing the foam skins in vinyl fabric “pillowcases”, which allowed the application of photorealistic graphics and increased durability and realism. The result was a first-generation version of the Soft Car 360 that we know and recognise today.

DRI’s involvement in these industry projects ultimately helped to establish the scenarios and equipment required to thoroughly test ADAS technologies. The tests were adopted by NHTSA and the IIHS to provide safety ratings of new vehicles to educate consumers with the aim of reducing insurance claims and improving road safety.

In 2012 DRI developed what became the first commercially available GST that incorporated all the various features to make it representative to a variety of sensor systems. Later that year, DRI began its partnership with AB Dynamics to further develop the product and the first unit was delivered to an Asian OEM in 2013.

In 2014, DRI developed the second generation GST in collaboration with NHTSA. This project involved reducing the radar reflectivity of the platform and increasing the acceleration and top speed, to cater for the growing variety of tests being carried out. There was also a heavy-duty version developed for trucks. In 2018, AB Dynamics introduced the MK2 GST platform, bringing improvements to the market, such as a lower overall profile, 100 km/h top speed and improved path following.

The collaboration between AB Dynamics and DRI proved to be a great success resulting in the GST’s approval for use by Euro NCAP and NHTSA as its Global Vehicle Target in 2018. The relationship further strengthened when DRI joined the AB Dynamics Group through an acquisition in 2019.

DRI and AB Dynamics are continuing to jointly develop the system as driver assistance technology develops. One of the next big steps in active collision avoidance technologies is likely to come from increased connectivity. The ability for a vehicle to communicate with infrastructure and other vehicles around it increases awareness of potential dangers and the time to react. The integration of connectivity, or V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything), will significantly impact the testing landscape. AB Dynamics is participating in the SECUR project (Safety Enhancement through Connected Users on the Road), which aims to create a coherent proposal for V2X testing and assessment protocols for Euro NCAP. AB Dynamics’ key input into the project is to help define a specification for connected targets to support V2X testing in the future.

Watch this space for further developments.

Torrance, CA (January 27, 2022) This year, as in previous years, Dynamic Research, Inc (DRI) welcomed a California State University Long Beach student as a Human Factors intern.  This year, that intern is Ryan Fandetti who is pursuing his master’s in Human Factors Psychology and finishing up his final thesis this Spring.

Each year DRI partners with the head of the CSU Human Factors faculty, Dr. Thomas Strybel, to identify students in the program to take on as interns.  The program gives the student interns an opportunity to work on many aspects of Human Factors projects for our automotive clients.

Ryan grew up in Tampa, Florida and now calls Long Beach, California home.  After completing his bachelor’s in psychology at UCF, Orlando, he found he had an interest in Human Factors and its practical application in engineering.

During his time at DRI, Ryan has been able to participate in several current studies for our automotive clients.  He has been a part of study design, participant acquisition and recruitment, active study data collection, including in our simulator environment, and reporting. “I’m taking this great opportunity to gain as much experience as I can,” Ryan commented, “It’s invaluable to participate in the full process of user experience studies like these.”

“Dr. Strybel and the CSU Long Beach Masters of Human Factors program have been great to partner with.  We feel strongly about investing in upcoming generations who will help shape the policies in our industry, and others, in the discipline of Human Factors,” states Sr. Human Factors Engineer, Amanda Kirsch. “In our experience the CSULB interns bring knowledge that helps move our projects forward and take away experience and a broader understanding of real-world applications in their chosen discipline.”

Torrance, CA- Dynamic Research Inc. (DRI) has partnered with Westat of Rockville, MD to win the award of the NHTSA “Human factors considerations for vehicle fail-safe strategies” project, a 20-month study.

Vehicle system failures could result in a significant risk for traffic safety. If a driver experiences a sudden failure while driving in traffic, there is a need for the driver to respond quickly and, depending on the circumstances and the nature of the failure, potentially get the vehicle to a safe stopping position.  One of NHTSA’s primary objectives of this study is to understand the driver’s response to a sudden failure. While focus groups and questionnaires will provide some insight into the driver response to a given failure, this study proposes to include an evaluation of drivers using the DRI fixed base simulator (FBS) located in the DRI Torrance, California facility. The FBS will deploy scenarios simulating one or more of these vehicle system failures with driver subjects. The FBS offers a repeatable, controlled environment to safely perform what would otherwise be a significantly dangerous driving scenario.

As a partner to Westat in this project award, DRI offers its human factors and driving simulator expertise and know-how, as well as a large database of simulator scenarios, roadways, and possible subject drivers. The DRI facilities, and equipment,, along with its  OEM relationships and NHTSA project experience, are an excellent complement to Westat’s capabilities.

Dynamic Research, Inc. (DRI) has done extensive testing, research, and vehicle R&D-related studies of driver behavior for more than 25 years. These studies have included driver behavior and driver/vehicle interaction studies in distracted driving, impaired driving, driving with vehicle automation (ADS) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), driving in-vehicle system failure situations, and under typical driving circumstances. This has been accompanied by and built upon a long history of driver-vehicle interaction research by DRI’s senior human factors staff members.

Read more about DRI Driving Simulators.

Dynamic Research, Inc- Torrance , CA

Conducting traditional research with participants amidst a rapidly rising pandemic presents challenges in safety for not only participants, but also for those involved in conducting the study. After months of preparation, Dynamic Research Inc. (DRI) researchers were able to put a plan into place early in the pandemic and have been able to continue research without a single case of COVID-19.

Everyone involved in any aspect of the DRI driving research program, starting with all employees within the company, needed to be informed of the new protocols and had to agree to follow them while on the premises. Signs throughout the building and at main entrances clearly define the rules of entering and moving around the building during a pandemic. Potential participants also needed to know what DRI was doing to keep everyone safe during such an uncertain time. An email to all past participants went out to communicate the new rules and what was expected when visiting DRI.

Upon entering, all visitors and DRI employees stop at sanitizing stations to complete a wellness check that includes temperature and health screenings, as well as making sure appropriate masks are worn. Visitors were required to have DRI staff administer the wellness check. All high-touch areas are disinfected regularly and between subject runs. Additional sanitizing stations are available throughout the building for everyone to use. Social distancing is observed at all times and when social distancing is not possible, partitions are installed and the number of persons is limited in the area. Areas with limited access or off-limits are clearly marked and disinfected areas are indicated with appropriate signage.

Minimizing contact includes limiting the time participants are in the building. Therefore, the research team implemented an all-digital system where pre-research paperwork could be completed from home and reviewed before the participant’s arrival. Research paperwork, questionnaires, and data are also collected digitally to minimize touchpoints and to make the data collection process more efficient. Compensation to each participant is electronically distributed once their participation is complete. Questionnaires are sent after each session to gather important post-study feedback from all participants.  The acquired feedback helps DRI refine the protocols to ensure that participants felt safe during their visit.

While these precautions facilitate the completion of several research projects without a single case of COVID there are still some struggles throughout. With the number of pandemic cases rising high at times, some potential participants never felt completely comfortable and canceled at the last minute. Conversely, some participants needed to be reminded of the rules (e.g. proper mask-wearing at all times), but none had to be dismissed. Overall, planning and communication are the most important aspects of being able to continue to perform driving research during a pandemic. DRI’s experience has been that with protocols in place and clear communication of those protocols to everyone involved, successful research projects can be completed even in the most challenging times.

The DRI Minter Field Testing Facility expansion was completed late Spring adding space for additional testing types and space for simultaneous testing. Click here for more information.

DRI driving behavior research continues with strict COVID-19 protocols and modified simulators to ensure researchers and participants stay safe at all times.

DRI has recently completed a projection system upgrade on our moving base Driving Simulator.   

About three years ago we replaced our aging projectors with modern DLP projectors from Barco.  We have just now upgraded our projection screens to a spherical section fiberglass screen.  This new screen comprises a 180-degree horizontal field of view and, depending on cab configuration, between 60 and 40-degree vertical FOV.

We are excited to begin studies with our newly upgraded graphics!

Dynamic Research, Inc. (DRI) is taking all the recommended steps to help protect the health and safety of our staff and customers during these challenging times. We are monitoring the local government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the latest guidelines and recommendations for businesses to protect our employees and guests.

We have put plans in place to continue doing business as usual to the extent possible.

The health and safety of our employees, clients, and guests are our top priority. DRI is closely monitoring developments relating to COVID-19 and will issue additional announcements as updates become available.