2. Types of Test Beds

Different test bed configurations are used in the development of advanced powertrains in automotive engineering. Internal combustion engine test beds are still very important testing components. Its further development accounts for a substantial amount of R&D effort in present-day vehicles. An increasing number of other powertrain components (as batteries, eMotors, transmissions, fuel cell systems, power electronics, etc.) in modern automotive powertrains requires many other test bed types. All of them deliver also valuable data for validating and calibrating simulation models of such single components. An ever-increasing share of the development budget for modern vehicles is being invested in the development of a great variety of control units. Such control units contribute substantially toward making our vehicles more environmentally friendly, comfortable and safe. The verification and validation test facilities for these control unit test beds are called hardware-in-the-loop or HiL test beds. Test of the full functionality of powertrains after integrating multiple components into a complete system is accomplished either on powertrain test beds or on chassis dynamometer test systems before starting the final test on the road.