Volvo buy the world's most advanced chassis simulator
Volvo cars has become the first premium car maker to purchase the most sophisticated Vi-Grade chassis simulator currently on offer.
The equipment, also used by Ferrari and Porsche, is intended to develop the next generation of Volvos.
Volvo's simulator replicates key development circuits, such as the fearsome Nurburgring and the tracks at Volvo's secret testing facility in Sweden. This allows Volvo to undertake extremely early testing on high speed stability, chassis balance and individual drive mode settings, thus lengthening the development period of new models.
The Swedish firm hopes that this will lead to more rewarding, responsive and more enjoyable models.
Dr Peter Mertens, Volvo's Senior Vice President of Research & Development, said: "We are making substantial investments in people, technology and facilities in order to redefine the Volvo driving experience. Our aim is to deliver full control, ease and dexterity at the wheel. We will improve drivability across the entire Volvo range.
"We have made some critical investments both in terms of our R&D facilities and in our product components in recent times that are now beginning to pay dividends. Our completely new scalable product architecture (SPA), our modular powertrain program and the latest chassis components are the starting point."
Another perk offered by the simulator is the increased freedom to innovate in the concept development phase, and also means a shorter product development time, according to Dr Mertens.
Stefan Kalsson, Manager of Vehicle Dynamics, said: "The beauty of the new simulator is that it provides us with the opportunity to physically experience the calculation models and evaluate them using human test drivers, rather than staring at graphs and numbers in a meeting room."
by: Vertu Editorial