COMMENT: Physical prototyping could fall for virtual vehicle development

The attraction of virtual vehicle development is well understood – repeatable test results obtained more quickly, in greater depth and at lower cost than can be achieved with physical prototypes. Major players in the car industry are signposting their intention to move from testing actual hardware into a modelling and simulation environment. This stems from growing vehicle complexity and tighter model introduction schedules, as well as increased demand for greater productivity during all development activities.