Simulation-based acceptance testing for unmanned ground vehicles

Performing physical acceptance tests of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) can be expensive and time-consuming. This paper discusses simulation-based acceptance testing and failure analysis for UGVs. Both dynamic and static simulation models are developed. A systematic statistical testing approach is presented to quantitatively assess when a simple static simulation model can be used to approximate a complex dynamic simulation. Results show that a static simulation can be used to determine the required joint Simulation-based acceptance testing for unmanned ground vehicles 63 motor torques under slow operation speeds. It also shows that a dynamic simulation model is needed to determine the maximum allowable moving speeds for UGVs to safely operate on roads with various levels of roughness and bumpiness.