Hardware-in-the-loop vehicle and powertrain analysis and control design issues

Powertrain and vehicle control systems are rapidly becoming extremely sophisticated. In order to maintain product technology competitiveness, minimize product and control system complexity, and contain development costs and timing, correspondingly more sophisticated control system development tools and methodologies are required. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology offers promise to bridge the challenging gap between system modeling and actual prototype system hardware implementation. This paper contains a discussion of some of the principal analytically related issues associated with a HIL powertrain laboratory.