We are pleased to introduce a new active taillight system for the Soft Car 360® ADAS target, Euro NCAP’s official Global Vehicle Target. Developed in collaboration with our sister company AB Dynamics, this lighting system offers representative rear lighting to support the development and testing of camera-based ADAS systems.
The taillight feature was developed in response to the growing demand for camera-based ADAS testing. These systems rely on visual cues like brake lights and turn signals to make critical safety decisions, sooner. As more automotive manufacturers look to advance their camera-based ADAS technologies, accurate visual representation during testing is critical to performance validation.
"We've seen a significant increase in demand from customers conducting camera-based ADAS testing," said Nathaniel Kuhl, Product Development Engineer at DRI. "As vehicles become more advanced, their ADAS systems are using brake lights and turn signals to help make decisions sooner to improve safety and the driver experience. The active taillight system is another step forward in increasing the realism and capability of the Soft Car 360."
Enhancing realism for camera-based ADAS testing
The taillight system integrates seamlessly into the Soft Car 360’s design through an alternative rear skin that houses LED lights in specifically designed pockets. These LEDs meet both lumen output and RGB color values required by international specifications, ensuring accurate visual recognition by vehicle perception systems.
The Soft Car 360 has been extensively tested to ensure it is recognized as a real car by all relevant sensors such as radar, LiDAR, infrared and cameras. Its modular design withstood over 100 high-speed impacts without damage.
The new taillight system continues this focus on safety and durability. It features flexible LEDs, a lightweight mounting system and protective cases for battery and electronic, ensuring realism while minimizing impact on the test vehicle during collisions.
"During durability testing, we repeatedly hit the Soft Car 360 at speeds in excess of 100 km/h," Kuhl continued. “Neither the Soft Car 360, the light system, nor the test vehicle sustained any damage. We have largely achieved this by focusing on minimizing weight throughout while also maintaining rigidity."
Seamless software integration and flexible operation
The taillight system is completely self-contained, operating on its own battery and communication system. It was designed for quick installation and removal, with a battery life optimized for a typical day’s worth of testing.
Users benefit from multiple control options, including:
“We worked closely with AB Dynamics to ensure the taillight system is fully integrated with the target platform,” said Kuhl. “This gives customers the freedom to create more dynamic and representative test cases.”
As well as being an option when specifying a new Soft Car 360, the active taillight system can be purchased as a retrofittable rear skin for existing Soft Car 360s.
To learn more about the Soft Car 360 or to request a demonstration of the new taillight system, get in touch with our team.
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