MAHA and dSPACE collaborate Jointly developing test benches for periodic technical inspections of automated vehicles

MAHA and dSPACE are collaborating in the development and marketing of test benches for periodic technical inspections and functional tests of automated and autonomous vehicles in workshops. With the jointly developed test benches, testing organisations or workshops can examine the safety and function of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AD) using vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) test procedures and ensure this throughout the entire life cycle.

Haldenwang/Paderborn, 29th April 2025. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of workshop and vehicle inspection technology, MAHA is contributing its know-how as an expert in vehicle testing technology for ADAS/AD sensor stimulation and as a system integrator to the collaboration. dSPACE is contributing its expertise in the simulation of driving scenarios and over-the-air stimulation of ADAS/AD sensors. The combination of chassis dynamometer and simulation to create a vehicle-in-the-loop test system has already been demonstrated in a proof of concept.  
 
The challenges that automated and software-defined vehicles pose for testing organisations and workshops are immense: They must ensure that safety-critical systems can be operated correctly over the entire product life cycle. With vehicle-in-the-loop tests, a cost-effective solution has been created that enables fast, reliable, and easy-to-use tests. In a VIL test, the real vehicle perceives a virtual world via its ADAS/AD sensors. Accelerating, steering, and braking are possible just like on the road, thanks to the chassis dynamometer. Any number of scenarios, such as highway driving, city traffic, and critical driving maneuvers, can be simulated in this way. Equipped with the VIL test system from MAHA and dSPACE, test organisations and workshops can, for example, reliably test the behavior of a vehicle dur-ing emergency braking and lane changes.

Functional and periodic technical tests of ADAS and AD systems increase the safety and acceptance of automated and autonomous vehicles. With the joint offering from MAHA and dSPACE, we are creating a cost-effective solution for the reliable testing of such systems throughout the entire product
lifecycle," said Dr. Carsten Hoff, CEO, dSPACE.

"Furthermore, our aim is to offer testing organizations and workshops more than just a cost-efficient solution. Close cooperation between dSPACE and MAHA has resulted in a system that can be seamlessly integrated into existing workshop structures, is technically expandable, and thus offers a future-proof perspective – for maximum safety and maximum efficiency in the testing process," emphasizes Dr. Peter Geigle, CEO of the MAHA Group.

Glossary:

Vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) test procedure
Test method in which real vehicle components are combined with virtual environments to test driving functions under controlled conditions.

ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)
Driver assistance systems that increase safety and comfort, e.g. through lane departure warning con-trol, braking control, or distance control.

AD (Automated Driving)
Automated driving, whereby driving tasks are partially or completely taken over by systems.

Over-the-air stimulation
Wireless simulation of sensor stimuli, e.g. radar or camera, for the testing of driver assistance and driv-ing functions without a real environment.

Photo: dSpace