Germany-based Konrad Technologies, a global leader in the sensor testing of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), is opening UK offices in Dunfermline.

Konrad-Technologies UK (www.konrad-technologies.com) will be at the forefront of testing and measuring ADAS sensors including radar, LiDAR and vision cameras.

The ability to test the sensors that allow vehicles to “see” the road ahead is an essential element of developing and delivering safe autonomous driving, as more and more car manufacturers launch connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV).

Active safety systems for autonomous vehicles require millions of miles of test drives, which often involve
injecting errors into automotive systems in order to test them in non-ideal conditions.

Robin Irwin, managing director of Konrad-Technologies UK, said: “CAV testing cannot be achieved by driving exclusively on test tracks or public roads.

"Konrad enables automotive parts or systems to be tested in a virtual environment, allowing for hardware-in-the-loop testing — for example, simulating radar signals representing a pedestrian on the road to test the reaction of the automatic braking systems.

“Moreover, with the increase in digitisation of road networks world-wide, we can provide complex test scenarios and simulate the trunk and rural road networks of Scotland, evaluating safety-critical systems in a laboratory environment and delivering CAV trials safely with no impact on public roads. Put simply, our testing approach to sensor fusion simplifies and shortens development time for car manufacturers.”

The UK team’s broad experience in wireless automation provides the support required to deliver quality test and measurement solutions for OEMs, automotive Tier One suppliers and the vast array of companies developing new wireless IoT technology.