AB Dynamics has launched the Soft Bicycle 360 ADAS target, which is 30% lighter than comparable targets and has been designed to reduce the potential for damage to vehicles under test.
The Soft Bicycle 360, designed by AB Dynamics subsidiary Dynamic Research Inc (DRI), features a single-piece frame architecture that removes the need for connectors, which can be prone to failure; and eliminates the need for time-consuming rebuilds after impact. It is manufactured from a thin rubberized material, with strategically placed internal reinforcement encased within the frame to provide the necessary stiffness.
The rider’s legs, arms and torso are made from hollow light material, all of which is wrapped in abrasion-resistant clothing for added durability. The materials used for the rider and the bicycle have also been optimized to generate representative radar reflectivity, ensuring precise sensor characterisation in ADAS test scenarios.
A standout features of the Soft Bicycle 360 is its advanced wheel design – the bicycle wheel rim is made from a durable plastic core encased within foam, with a rubberized skin layer. This not only creates the tire profile but also eliminates any protruding hard points of the rim that could contact the test vehicle. It is connected to a hub via soft nylon string wheel spokes, which are less likely to break or damage the test vehicle compared to metal spokes.
The design of the frame and wheel also provide the ability to travel in forward and backward directions, which enables the target to be returned quickly to its starting position in reverse to repeat the test, significantly improving test efficiency.
The launch of the Soft Bicycle 360 comes at a time when cyclist safety is under increasing scrutiny. According to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), cyclist fatalities as a percentage of all traffic fatalities have been increasing since 2003 when comparing data from 2007 to 2018. The European Commission has also reported that cyclists are the only road user group in the EU where the number of fatalities has not declined since 2010.
As a result, Euro NCAP has stated in its Vision 2030 roadmap that it will expand its crash avoidance testing, including new scenarios with cyclists. The organization has also added multiple cyclist AEB test scenarios to its recently announced draft HGV rating scheme as part of its Safer Trucks program.
Nate Kuhl, product development engineer at DRI, said, “As an independent testing provider conducting ADAS tests for manufacturers every day, we know that even relatively minor damage to a test vehicle, such as knocking a sensor out of alignment, can cause severe delays to test programs.”
The Soft Bicycle 360 is compatible with AB Dynamics’ range of target motion platforms, including the LaunchPad Spin, LaunchPad 50/60 and the LaunchPad 80 when used with a side platform.