Knorr-Bremse aims to press ahead with the development of highly automated driving (HAD) for trucks – as a specialized industry leader in each of its market segments – by providing advanced redundancy architectures for braking, steering and energy management systems. As part of this, Knorr-Bremse is focusing on redundant actuator technology for SAE Level 4 – technology the importance of which will eventually extend far beyond automated driving. Knorr-Bremse invites industry guests interested in talking technology to visit the company at IAA Transportation 2024 in Hanover on September 17-22 (Hall 12, Booth C21).
Bernd Spies, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG with global responsibility for the Commercial Vehicle Systems division: “Knorr-Bremse is systematically bringing its redundancy solutions for trucks to market maturity. With our extensive experience, we have the in-depth knowledge and skills required to create multiply redundant systems for braking, steering and power supply systems, and so enable our customers to achieve SAE Level 4 automation. We’re already able to deliver high levels of safety and system availability for trucks operating at automation levels 2 through 4. We’re looking to contact our customers at the earliest possible stage to discuss possible use cases and how we can best customize our redundancy concepts for them. A good example – with real-world applicability – is our involvement in the ATLAS-L4 joint development project. Here, we’re contributing the redundant braking system architecture, which includes steering redundancy based on steer-by-brake technology. We also developed the accompanying safety concept, and the prototype truck is already undergoing successful test track trials.”
Increasing automation requires system redundancy. In the future, more and more functions – and consequently, responsibilities – will shift from human to machine. The objectives of driving automation include overcoming the shortage of drivers, improving road safety, and reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) for operators. But for automated driving to be successful, key prerequisites include very high levels of vehicle reliability and availability, which in turn require redundant (meaning failsafe) braking, steering and energy management systems. Here, redundancy is defined as primary and secondary systems that function independently of each other, coupled with systematic detection and management of faults or failures, plus monitoring of each system by the other. For Knorr-Bremse, the challenges involved in designing redundant functional components include, for example, increased safety requirements, additional and modified components, new interfaces, and the complex task of validating and verifying the entire systems solution. Additional challenges include new ways of working as a result of new process frameworks for developing safety-critical components. Despite these challenging conditions, Knorr-Bremse has the experience and expertise required to develop cost-optimized system solutions for all new applications.
Knorr-Bremse knows what customers need and offers suitably integrated products.
Knorr-Bremse specializes in safety-critical actuators, understands global customers’ needs and challenges, and acts as an enabler of highly automated driving (HAD). The successful way to avoid an uncertain future of fragmented development work and recurring technical hurdles is to espouse scalability, modularity and the resulting flexibility. This is precisely what Knorr-Bremse is doing as the company focuses on developing modular Level 2 systems that can be upgraded to Level 4 systems by adding or modifying modular components.
The competencies acquired during this development process, and the use of failsafe actuators, will have future applications that extend far beyond automated driving to embrace new truck technologies. Examples include X-by-wire technologies such as electromechanical braking systems (EMBS) and steer-by-wire systems.
Knorr-Bremse systems improve the safety and availability of automated trucks in a wide variety of applications. The scalability of the company’s products is clearly illustrated by various concepts which – depending on the application – aim to bring trucks to a safe stop even if safety-critical functions should fail. Potential use cases range from executing a minimum-risk maneuver (limp-aside mode) to continuing the journey with reduced system functionality (limp-home mode) right through to completing the transportation assignment with almost the same level of system performance (mission-complete mode).
Knorr-Bremse’s redundancy systems
Using state-of-the-art methods, Knorr-Bremse has developed the following products for braking, steering and power management systems. All of them are being prepared for market launch:
- rGSBC braking system. Customers who already rely on the company’s new Global Scalable Brake Control (GSBC) system will be able to cost-efficiently upgrade it to a HAD-optimized, redundant system (rGSBC). GSBC’s modular design reduces the many different components in conventional brake control systems to a single, technical brake control platform. In turn, this enables simplified system layouts and saves on components, weight and installation costs. Knorr-Bremse has continued to apply this modular approach to the new redundant system, prioritizing the reuse of existing components wherever possible, plus a limited number of modified or new system modules.
- Electric Power Steering (EPS). Alongside the series implementation of all-electric, failsafe EPS, Knorr-Bremse is also developing a redundant version of the Electric Power Steering system. The new rEPS offers the failsafe steering functionality that is so essential for autonomous vehicles, whether electrically or conventionally powered. With rEPS, both the electric motor and electronic control system (hardware and software) are designed with built-in redundancy. And combining rEPS with steer-by-brake functionality introduces yet another level of redundancy – a sophisticated concept that is only supported by Knorr-Bremse’s own EPS system. The combination enables self-driving vehicles to autonomously complete their missions even in the event of critical failures. This setup of the all-electric EPS steering system essentially fulfils all the prerequisites of steer-by-wire technology – electrical steering that does not depend on a mechanical linkage between steering wheel and steering actuators. As the driver moves the steering wheel, his or her motions are captured electronically and transmitted to the axles as electronic signals. Knorr-Bremse’s EPS system then performs the actual steering movement.
- Redundant Power Management System (rPMS). As the number of onboard electrical systems grows, trucks need more energy, as well as an onboard electrical system architecture that meets the latest safety requirements. rPMS ensures that sufficient power is supplied to safety-critical systems such as all-electric steering, brake controllers and other control units, as well as the sensors required for automated driving. Two totally independent power supply circuits operating in failsafe mode guarantee maximum system availability and significantly improve commercial vehicle safety levels.
- Truck Motion Controller optimizes longitudinal and lateral driving dynamics. Knorr-Bremse’s Truck Motion Controller (TMC) combines all the actuators actively involved in vehicle dynamics (braking, steering and drive units) so that they are all managed at the same execution level. TMC translates general driving commands into commands for the individual actuators, thereby simplifying the interface with the virtual driver. Because TMC is aware of vehicle-specific characteristics and limits, the system ensures that the vehicle stays reliably under control even in critical driving situations. As part of a redundant control system, TMC can detect and handle possible actuator faults or failures and offset them by intelligently combining other actuators.
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Knorr-Bremse’s next-generation ADAS solutions underscore the company’s position as a reliable partner in the ongoing development of safety technologies for commercial vehicles. Knorr-Bremse is a partner of choice for companies implementing EU General Safety Regulation II (GSR II), which came into force for first vehicle registrations on July 7, 2024. Solutions include collision warning systems such as the Blind Spot Information System (BSIS) and Moving Off Information System (MOIS), which warn drivers of possible collisions with approaching pedestrians or cyclists. Knorr-Bremse will be presenting a new, pioneering driver assistance system in the form of Fusion Front ADAS, which uses a combination of front camera and radar to detect complex traffic conditions and relevant objects. Among the functions included in Knorr-Bremse Fusion Front ADAS are the Pedestrian Advanced Emergency Braking system (PAEBS) and Lane Keeping Assist. The system also takes care of statutory functions such as the Advanced Emergency Braking System and Lane Departure Warning system.
Meet up with Knorr-Bremse: Hall 12, Booth C21
Knorr-Bremse will showcase the company’s range of innovative products and services for overcoming the mobility challenges of today and tomorrow at leading industry trade fair IAA Transportation in Hanover. Knorr-Bremse will share its latest developments with trade visitors in personal meetings and multimedia-based presentations, seeking to learn more about customers’ ideas and plans for the future. Knorr-Bremse looks forward to welcoming all visitors to IAA TRANSPORTATION in Hanover on September 17-22, 2024 (Hall 12, Booth C21).
SOURCE: Knorr-Bremse
