Test Marathon: New Generation Opel Astra Enters Finishing Straight

• Arctic Circle: Testing dynamics and warm-up behaviour at -30° C in Swedish Lapland
• Dudenhofen Test Centre: Chassis development for safety and comfort in Germany
• EMC lab in Rüsselsheim: Resistance to electro-magnetic waves

All-New Opel Astra: Dudenhofen Test Centre

Development of the all-new Opel Astra is fully on target, the premiere of the 11th generation of the brand’s best-selling compact model is now just weeks away. Initially created – like all modern automobiles – with the assistance of computer-aided design, since last winter the new model has been undergoing final testing, fine tuning and validation in real life conditions. Now Opel Astra is entering the finishing straight of a true test marathon.

Opel engineers took prototypes and development vehicles far north to test the new model on the icy roads and in the deep frozen air of Swedish Lapland. Closer to home, they have been pounding around the test tracks at the Dudenhofen Test Centre and most recently, carrying out validation drives on public roads in the Rhine-Main region, accompanied by senior management. At the same time, the all-new Astra was taking its final tests in the Rüsselsheim EMC laboratory (Electro-Magnetic Compatibility) before receiving type approval for commercialisation.

“Demanding test programme of the all-new Opel Astra is going exceptionally well”, says Astra Chief Engineer, Mariella Vogler. “Development team – which, by the way, comprises more female engineers than ever before – has created an uncompromisingly cool new generation of Opel Astra that will thrill our customers.”

With the all-new Astra, Opel is demonstrating German precision in every detail and taking direct aim at the sweet spot of the compact market sector. Pure and bold design, top technologies and exciting powertrain line-up – including plug-in hybrid electric drive – will make it a benchmark in its class.

Winter testing: High comfort and safety under all conditions

Winter 2020/2021 in Sweden. As usual at this time of year, Lapland is a frequent travel destination for Opel engineers. On this occasion, they brought the next generation Astra with them. At temperatures as low as -30° C, chassis experts turned lap after lap on the slippery surfaces of the specially prepared tracks, continuously optimising the electronically controlled systems for stability, traction and anti-lock braking. Objective: the new Astra must always handle safely and consistently, regardless of the surface – be it ice, snow, slush or wet or dry asphalt. Or in other words, it has to behave like an Opel – under all conditions.

All-New Opel Astra: Winter testing

“During development we made sure that the new generation Astra will once again offer drivers and passengers a lot of driving fun and comfort”, says Opel’s head of vehicle dynamics, Andreas Holl. “On the one hand, our sophisticated and dynamic design ensures that occupants will always feel safe, even at high speeds on the motorway. On the other, it offers plenty of comfort – even on poor road surfaces – for a relaxed driving experience.”

All-New Opel Astra: Winter testing

During their stay in Lapland this year, Opel’s chassis specialists were joined by their colleagues from “HVAC” (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). One of HVAC’s goals is to make sure that the passenger compartment warms up quickly. So they monitored the new Astra’s engine heat rejection, coolant flow, heater core performance and blower airflow, as well as the heated steering wheel and the heating of the front and rear seats.

But warm-up testing is not only done so that customers feel warm and comfy on cold winter mornings. Warm-up performance is also precisely defined by regulation and even more stringent in-house safety standards, which state that the frozen windshield and side windows of an Opel must be clear of ice and fog in the shortest time to ensure safe driver visibility.

All-New Opel Astra: interior

Furthermore, as the next generation Astra as plug-in hybrid will play an important role in continuing the electrification of Opel’s product portfolio, the engineers also kept a close watch on the warm-up times of the lithium-ion battery, to make sure that the performance of the cells meets the standards for electric driving experience even in cold weather.

Dudenhofen Test Centre: Torture, on and off the test tracks

Performance of a different kind is evaluated at the Dudenhofen Test Centre in Germany. Engineers from the competence centre for “ADAS” (Automated Driver Assistance Systems) in Rüsselsheim used the proving ground’s high speed oval and long straight to calibrate the new Astra’s advanced technologies – from Adaptive Cruise Control and Emergency Braking, to Forward Collision Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Assist.

Pre-production cars used for these tests also had to meet high standards on Dudenhofen’s long straight. Here, like every Opel, the next generation Astra had to demonstrate it is “Autobahn-proofness”, meaning that it must remain controllable at speeds well above 140 km/h and stable under hard braking. While driving at high speeds on the oval, Opel engineers also took opportunity to evaluate components such as the bonnet and windscreen wipers. Nothing is allowed to flutter, vibrate or cause irritating noises.

All-New Opel Astra: Validation drives

After working up a sweat in the high-speed driving tests, the new Opel Astra cooled down in the drive-through water trough, at various depths of a minimum 25 centimetres. Despite pushing a big wave of water in front of itself, the test car is not allowed to “inhale” or “swallow” any water – the powertrain, the electrical system and every part under the bonnet must stay protected from water.

There was no respite for the all-new Opel Astra even after it left the test tracks. Despite the tortures meted out on the high-speed oval, the handling circuit or in the water trough, the Opel engineers also took the test vehicles into the Dudenhofen climatic chamber. This environmental test facility is for evaluating the operability of vehicles, subsystems and components in extreme conditions. For the next generation Opel Astra, the climatic chamber was set up to test the car’s sealing against dust and sand.

In addition to the climatic chamber, Opel put test cars into a climatic wind tunnel to validate the new Astra’s performance under a variety of operating conditions. For example, the climatic wind tunnel simulated driving in traffic jams, uphill and down, in order to test the cooling of the brakes. The engineers were even able to find out if swirling snow in front of the vehicle could block the air intakes.

On the boss’s agenda: Validation drives around Opel’s hometown

All-New Opel Astra: Validation drives

Climatic conditions conducive to dust, sand or snow were not expected during the current phase of testing. Validation drives take place with prototypes and engineering cars at several stages throughout the development of a new model. They are for verifying systems and subsystems and validating their overall integration in the vehicle. As development approaches the final stages, the cross-functional team of engineers and technicians is joined by members of senior management, including the boss himself – Opel CEO, Michael Lohscheller.

All-New Opel Astra: Validation drives

Most recent validation drives of the still-camouflaged new Opel Astra took place in June on public roads in the Rhine-Main region around Opel’s hometown – and the car’s “homeplant” – of Rüsselsheim. Engineers and managers were occasionally joined by journalists from the press.

All-New Opel Astra: Validation drives

Electro-magnetic immunity: Prerequisite for type approval

While development prototypes and pre-production vehicles are driving in the far north, in Dudenhofen and on public road in and outside Germany, others also undergo intensive testing on test rigs and in laboratories in Rüsselsheim. Electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC), for example, is tested throughout development. Furthermore, no car can be sold in Europe without passing EMC tests during the type approval process. EMC testing ensures that a car’s electronic systems do not suffer from interference.

Opel team tested the new Astra’s immunity to electro-magnetic emissions in the purpose-built EMC lab in Rüsselsheim. While the test car is exposed to emissions radiated across a wide range of frequencies, special absorbers on the walls “soak up” the transmitted emissions so that they do not reflect back into the chamber. Engineers thus obtain clean, reliable data. New model only gets the “green light” – and finally receives type approval – when all its systems have demonstrated their immunity to electro-magnetic emissions.

Testing: All-New Opel Mokka on the Road to Production Readiness

• Opel engineers put the finishing touches to next-generation Mokka
• New Opel Mokka up to 120 kilogrammes lighter than previous model
• Chassis and assistance systems set up during winter tests in the Arctic
• All-electric Opel Mokka-e offers engaging drive
• Suspension tuning currently underway at Test Center Rodgau-Dudenhofen
• New Opel Mokka in dealer showrooms in early 2021

All-New Opel Mokka at the Test Center Rodgau-Dudenhofen in Germany

Dynamic, efficient and high quality: these are just a few of the development objectives of the all-new Opel Mokka. With typical precision, German engineers have been putting the finishing touches to the next-generation bestseller. At the Test Center Rodgau-Dudenhofen in Germany, they are currently setting up the new Mokka for optimum acoustic comfort in the interior, excellent driving safety at high speeds and Opel-typical steering and pedal feel. Since February, the Opel experts for chassis, powertrain, electronics and lighting have been using the Arctic winter for the tuning of chassis and assistance systems on frozen lakes and narrow country roads in Swedish Lapland.

Next Opel Mokka generation is a completely new design based on the company's highly efficient CMP multi-energy platform (Common Modular Platform). This modular kit offers maximum flexibility in vehicle development. CMP also allows the use of purely battery-electric drive as well as internal combustion engines. Customer has the choice. Thanks to the use of high-strength steels, the vehicle weight is low and the body stability is high. New Opel Mokka weighs up to 120 kilograms less than the previous model – with almost the same wheelbase and tyre sizes. With the electric Opel Mokka-e, batteries are installed deep in the vehicle floor, which lowers the centre of gravity and at the same time increases torsional rigidity by a further 30 % – excellent prerequisites for dynamic driving. Customers can look forward to a very agile second-generation Opel Mokka, which will be available in dealerships from early 2021. Until then, the testing continues at full speed.

Phase 1: Testing and fine-tuning at Arctic Circle

Opel engineer Gunnar Nees never tires of turning lap after lap on ice. He regularly stops for a few minutes. Reaches for the laptop, reads out measured values, logs every kilometre covered. In the vast Arctic wilderness, it is still freezing cold in March. Exactly the right conditions for orchestrating the harmony between ABS, ESP, assistance systems and the rest of the new Opel Mokka’s chassis.

Eevelopment cars are still hiding behind a green and black camouflage, with 3D-like graphics that blur the vehicle’s contours. Engineer behind the steering wheel has come to the far north to set up the chassis. Like every Opel, new Mokka must respond precisely to steering inputs and give good feedback, be comfortable and at the same time have a firm enough ride. An Opel must not display uncontrolled body movements, for example, when the vehicle is driving over a large bump at medium speed. Opel philosophy calls for safe and relaxing driving on the autobahn. An Opel must remain easily controllable in all situations and be fun to drive at the same time.

These characteristics must be present under all weather conditions everywhere – at the icy Arctic Circle as well as in high summer at the Mediterranean. However, nothing should change in terms of precise handling and consistently good-natured driving behaviour. Parts, components and systems are continuously fine-tuned by the Opel engineers: dampers, springs, steering. In addition, the control software is adapted: for ideal pedal feel when accelerating and braking, for the right amount of steering power assistance and for the interaction between all assistance systems.

Phase 2: High-speed driving on German test tracks

Back in Germany: same test engineer pilots Opel Mokka prototype on home ground at the Rodgau-Dudenhofen Test Center. Karsten Bohle, project coordinator for the second-generation Opel Mokka, joins Gunnar Nees.

“We are all looking forward to seeing New Opel Mokka on the road in customer hands. Test drives are running like clockwork, also because our new baby, with its low weight and compact external dimensions, reacts well to adjustments. Handling and comfort are super. New Opel Mokka is a joy to drive,” said Bohle, “the development work has been great fun.”

Karsten Bohle, project coordinator for the second-generation Opel Mokka

New Opel Mokka is ready to take its final exams at the Test Center. While shaken, ride comfort and interior acoustics must remain unstirred – not even by the torture track. Here, not far from the Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim, the tracks are replicas of the trickiest road surfaces in Europe. Opel engineers have tested here for decades and built up a huge wealth of experience. Engineers repeatedly adjust springs and dampers, the balance between responsiveness and sporty precision continuously improved. New Opel Mokka features particularly low road noise for optimum acoustic comfort, which the high-quality materials in the interior further increase. Squeaks and rattles are taboo.

Steering and suspension get their Opel “feel” on the Dudenhofen handling course. Two tie rods at the McPherson strut turrets are standard equipment; they provide further stiffness at the front end, adding a touch more precision and agility. New Opel Mokka turns into corners eagerly, is easy to handle at the limit and the assistance systems function perfectly. Then comes the ultimate discipline – the high-speed oval with its steep banking, followed by the long straight. This test demands rock-solid stability at all speeds. In real life, it also results in a huge safety benefit when taking avoidance manoeuvres at lower speeds. Opel engineers only award their seal of approval for the autobahn when they return satisfied from the high-speed oval. New Opel Mokka has already passed this test with flying colours. However, testing, testing and yet more testing will continue until the summer. When New Opel Mokka has achieved production readiness, cars will start rolling off the assembly line at the end of the year.

Testing, Testing, Testing: Next generation Opel Corsa gets ready

• Development plan’s targets: Sales start this summer, first deliveries in fall
• Polar circle Test Centre, Sweden: Man and machine deep frozen at -30° C
• Dudenhofen Test Centre, Germany: Chassis development for balanced handling and comfort
• Rüsselsheim EMC lab: Resistance to electro-magnetic waves

Opel engineers have been testing the next-generation Corsa for several months in Swedish Lapland, around 40 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle.

Sixth-generation Opel Corsa is getting ready for its launch this fall. While the new model has been created with the help of the newest, fastest and most efficient virtual development methods, Opel engineers now take it on their usual playgrounds to test, refine and validate it in real-life conditions. Since January chassis, powertrain, electronics, lighting and other Opel engineering experts have been using the long polar winter in Swedish Lapland for intensive testing in ultra-low temperatures on frozen lakes and snow-covered roads. Elsewhere, pre-production cars are currently lapping the test tracks at the Dudenhofen Test Centre while laboratory testing such as electro-magnetic compatibility also takes place at the Russelsheim facilities.

“During the development of the next-generation Opel Corsa, we placed special importance on increasing efficiency,” said Thomas Wanke, Global Lead Development Engineer, Vehicle Performance, who is working on a new generation of the Corsa for the fourth time in his career. “The new model is significantly lighter, which lowers fuel consumption and also increases the fun factor. As with the previous generations I worked on, the chassis we are currently refining was developed on all kinds of European roads including the high-speed German autobahn. Our aim is clearly to offer the customer top chassis execution with an optimum balance between safety, comfort and fun.”

Customers can look forward to a very fun and efficient Opel Corsa. Thanks to lightweight engineering, the new generation of the bestseller – more than 13.6 million units sold so far, with five generations since 1982 – is ten percent lighter than the previous model. Chassis delivers the typical Opel balance of sportiness and comfort, even though the new model is perceptibly more dynamic than its predecessor. Opel will also offer the Corsa for the first time as a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), right from the start of sales early this summer.

Winter testing: High comfort and safety under all conditions

As they have done for decades now, the Opel engineers have been testing the next-generation Corsa for several months in Swedish Lapland, around 40 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle. Among others, experts from the chassis controls department have been setting up the electronically controlled systems for stability, traction and anti-lock braking on low-grip surfaces, at temperatures as low as -30° C. The purpose of these extreme tests: regardless of ice, snow, slush or asphalt, and differing levels of grip on either side of the car, the control systems must always function reliably. As for delivering high levels of safety, comfort and driving dynamics, Opel engineers are refining the calibration of the chassis systems down to the smallest detail: where does “fun-to-drive” stop and stability control begin? At the Arctic Circle, the conditions for such fine tuning are more suitable than anywhere else. The engineers therefore repeatedly lap the specially prepared handling course, oval and surfaces, continuously optimising the control systems.

Testing with heavily camouflaged cars in Lapland began shortly after Christmas on public roads. From January through March, the ice on the frozen lakes was around one metre thick, so that the test cars, snow-ploughs and water sprinkler trucks could drive on them. The long polar nights also enabled extensive testing of the Adaptive IntelliLux LED technology which, after having premiered in their respective segments with the Astra and Insignia, will also be available for the first time in the Corsa class. The climate and environment in Northern Sweden made it possible to precisely evaluate and optimise the automatic glare-free matrix headlights which continuously adapt to the prevailing traffic situation and surroundings and simply “cut out” approaching traffic and preceding vehicles from the illuminated area. Making this system, which minimises glare while constantly providing drivers with optimum visibility, available in a popular, small car such as the Corsa is another demonstration of the democratisation of technology from Opel.

High-speed testing: Around the banked oval at Dudenhofen Test Centre

During their night-time test drives on the oval, handling circuit and comfort track at the Dudenhofen Test Centre, the Opel engineers also appreciate the high output of the new Corsa’s headlights. The long straights were used to prepare the new generation for driving on the autobahn, where Opel sets especially high standards for the steering and suspension.

“We place the highest importance on body control,” said Wanke. “For example, every Opel must deliver a firm, precise ride over undulating surfaces at autobahn speeds. The car must never feel too soft. The new Corsa impresses in this regard.”

The speed-dependent steering has been tuned for optimum precision, a progressive build-up of steering force and good feedback. The shock absorbers are designed to react immediately to the slightest ripple in the road surface or change in direction. The pre-production cars used for conducting all these tests also had to meet high standards for lane-changing and stability under braking. The new Corsa must remain controllable even at speeds higher than 140 km/h; brake-oversteer is forbidden. The bodywork is also tested while the car is driving at high speed on the oval – no part is allowed to flutter or vibrate, or cause annoying noises.

After completing all its tests for the autobahn, the new Opel Corsa can take a bath – in the drive-through water trough, at various depths from a minimum of 25cm. Although the car pushes a big wave ahead of itself, water is not allowed to enter the vehicle; the engine must not “inhale” any water, the electrical system and every part must remain protected from the wave. The lower engine cover in particular, although under high pressure from the water, must not malfunction.

Electronic testing: Around the clock in the Rüsselsheim EMC

While development prototypes and pre-production vehicles drive in the far north, in Dudenhofen and at various secret places in and outside of Germany, others also undergo severe testing in Rüsselsheim’s test rigs and laboratories. Electro-magnetic compatibility, (EMC) tests, for instance, take place throughout development. They ensure there is no susceptibility of the various electronic systems to disturbances. In the past it was only necessary to prevent the crackling on the radio that was caused by the alternator, the ignition, the windscreen wipers or similar systems. Nowadays the task is much more complex – after all, the new Opel Corsa is full of highly advanced electronic equipment. These include safety devices such as ESP, numerous assistance systems like matrix headlights, as well as the whole infotainment system.

In a purpose-built chamber at the EMC lab in Rüsselsheim, the Opel team tests the immunity of the car’s electronic systems against electro-magnetic emissions. These can be conducted along cables in the wiring harness or over the air. The test car is exposed to emissions radiated across a wide range of frequencies. The special absorbers on the walls “soak up” the transmitted emissions so that they do not reflect uncontrollably back into the chamber. The engineers thus obtain clean, reliable data. The car receives the green light only when all its systems have demonstrated their immunity against electro-magnetic emissions. New Opel Corsa has already passed its test; the electronics are optimally protected from disturbances.

!NEW! Opel Astra K: Camouflage is the First Step to Success

• Traditional trickery: 30 years of camouflaging and trickery at Opel
• From ‘Fishies’ to ‘Cube’: 3D effect makes debut in fourth generation camouflage foil
• Cover-up better than naked truth: Interior camouflage increasingly important

Fourth generation camouflage foil: Between 60 and 70 sheets of foil are required to completely cover up a compact class car like the new Opel Astra K.

It is a never ending contest: the battle between carmakers and the spy photographers. The one side will do anything in its power to hide their newest creations from the outside world for as long as possible, whereas the other side develops increasingly creative techniques to get a shot of their motorized prey and to get the first photograph of a prototype. For 30 years, Opel has been developing new camouflage foils and artificial add-on components to lead the automotive paparazzi astray. The latest coup of the cover-up team is, amongst others, being used for the new Opel Astra K: The black and white ‘Cube’ camouflage foil. Opel hopes to keep the design and the interior of the newly-developed Astra a secret until the first photographs are released in the upcoming weeks. The new Opel Astra K will be on show in all its beauty for the first time and celebrate its world premiere at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September.

Traditional trickery: 30 years of camouflaging and trickery at Opel

The experts have paid special attention to protecting the newly designed fascia, the grille with the distinctive Opel Blitz and the rear from curious eyes. If camouflage expert Andreas Kubis had his way, the new Astra would be covered up completely. However, Astra prototypes can only be distorted to a degree that still allows engineers and test drivers to deliver realistic results for the following production vehicle. And obviously a TÜV safety inspector has to clear the camouflaged vehicle before it is allowed to take to the road. That makes certain things easier for Kubis to accept, the lights for example. “The turn indicators have to be visible from the side,” explains Kubis. Nonetheless, ideally the precise contour of the lights should remain hidden as it is one of the recognition factors and characteristic for every Opel.

For 30 years: Opel has been developing new camouflage foils and artificial add-on components to lead the automotive astray

Kubis, a certified technical manager, has successfully being trying to stay a step ahead of spy photographers since 2012. The 3D effects of ‘Cube’, already frustrating preying eyes during the development phase of the Corsa, only indicate the contours of the new Astra, make them become blurred and confuse onlookers. Between 60 and 70 sheets of foil are required to completely cover up a compact class car like the new Opel Astra. It is stone chip, temperature and UV-resistant. Temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees to plus 80 degrees Celsius are not a problem. After all, the test drivers in Arjeplog in northern Sweden need to rely on the camouflage in the most adverse weather conditions.

For the first time ever, the experts used an additional special privacy foil for the instruments, center console and infotainment system of the band new Opel Astra K prototype. “The material is well-known from laptops and mobile phones. It prevents the contents of the screen being visible from the side,” explains Kubis. Plastic enclosures and foam flesh simulate the shape of the instruments, whereas the privacy foil can even take on the most powerful zoom lenses.

From Fishies via Wirries to Cube – four generations of camouflage foil

‘Cube’ is already the fourth generation of camouflage foil used by Opel. “Looking back, it is plain to see how colleagues adapted current trends in body construction and turned them into a match camouflage philosophy,” describes Kubis. At the beginning, it was only about covering the rough edges and concealing the headlights behind yellow and red tape. The demands on camouflaging grew continuously as camera technology improved. At the end of the 1980s, camouflaging reached a new level with the front and rear ends also disappearing under tape. “Even the windows were partially covered to obscure characteristic window lines,” says Kubis. The first Opel camouflage foil, with fish-shaped hashes called ‘Fishies’, was used on the Corsa C in 1999. A team of up to three people needed several days to apply the foil to the car back then. Gradually, the camouflage experts padded the foil with plastic and foam components, distorting the vehicle completely. The ‘Flimmies’ pattern, used amongst others for the Astra J in 2009, saw the time required to cover a car shrink to two days per vehicle. But each check had to be applied individually and painstakingly removed later. Screen printing technology used for the third-generation ‘Wirries’, used from 2011 to 2013, saved the experts up to a day of work. The foil could be applied in one piece and removed if required.

Test drivers rule: Camouflage is part of the job

Opel has been camouflaging the interior of its new cars since 2008 and obviously there has been developments in this sector too. In the past, hand-stitched artificial leather covers with Velcro were used to cover the instrument panel and the dashboard. These days the experts rely on a much lighter mesh fabric known from backpacks which allows for the individual components to be covered separately. Air vents, the handbrake and other important buttons such as the hazard light button need to remain uncovered when on the road. A special lamination seals up the rear and side windows while at the same time allowing the driver to see out. To this day, test drivers and engineers follow a simple rule, especially when parking the car: cover up the instruments and protect the interior from preying eyes.

Camouflage is good but a trick is sometimes better

New Opel ADAM S - Prototype with ‘Driver training’ lettering.

When looking to the animal kingdom it becomes apparent that camouflage is good, but a trick can be (even) better. The new Opel ADAM S with its eye-catching wheels and the distinctive spoiler posed a real challenge for Kubis and his team. “We didn’t want to make the first prototype even more attention-grabbing. That is why we didn’t camouflage the Opel ADAM S. Instead, we make it look like a training car,” says Kubis. The lettering ‘Driver training’ and some sporty black and yellow stripes did the trick and the paparazzi lost interest. The battle was won – at least until the next round.

New Opel ADAM S - Prototype with ‘Driver training’ lettering.

!NEW! Opel and DRIVE C2X: Vehicle Communication Improves European Road Safety

• European cooperative mobility project with 47 partners successfully completed
• Car2X communication as a key tool of future traffic management
• Opel leads testing of interoperability of individual systems

Opel and DRIVE C2X: Together with 46 consortium partners, Opel has been testing the functionality, practicality and effectiveness of car2X under real conditions in DRIVE C2X, a cooperative mobility project co-funded by the European Commission.

An increase in road safety and traffic efficiency through vehicle communications (car2X) is one of the main aims of automobile manufacturers and politics. Together with 46 consortium partners, Opel has been testing the functionality, practicality and effectiveness of car2X under real conditions in DRIVE C2X, a cooperative mobility project co-funded by the European Commission. The consortium presented the results of the successfully completed project today, at its closing event in Berlin.

Opel and DRIVE C2X: Together with 46 consortium partners, Opel has been testing the functionality, practicality and effectiveness of car2X under real conditions in DRIVE C2X, a cooperative mobility project co-funded by the European Commission.

Opel has been carrying out R&D into intelligent systems for improving road safety and efficiency for several years. The communication between connected cars and the traffic infrastructure is one of the main areas of research. Car2X is a model of the future for intelligently controlled road management. In the last 42 months, DRIVE C2X has performed field tests in seven countries (Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Sweden). The goals were to demonstrate the advantages of the cooperative systems of each project partner, to avoid risks in traffic or prevent them from happening at all, and thus to achieve an effective improvement of traffic flow.

The systems tested included not only warnings of construction sites and traffic jams, approaching emergency vehicles, weather and road conditions, but also traffic sign information and systems that optimize traffic flow at traffic lights, or give early warning of hidden dangers and obstacles. Opel not only supplied a specially equipped Insignia with weather warning; the company also led the testing of the interoperability of the individual systems supplied by the participating manufacturers.

“It was important to find out whether the various cars could even communicate with each other, since each manufacturer uses different hard and software”, explains Opel electronics development engineer, Bernd Büchs. “Field tests in Helmond, Netherlands, demonstrated that the communication between vehicles functioned very well”.

Avoiding accidents near schools: Additional warning signs can be transmitted to the vehicle via car2X technology.

The consortium tested the weather warning developed by Opel in Tampere, Finland. Sensors gathered data on along roads most affected by temperature, fog, rain or snow and informed the vehicles via car2X technology. During this testing Opel assessed the suitability of vehicle electronics systems for gathering data on risky conditions such as ice, and communicating this information to other car2X-vehicles as a localized warning.

Opel and DRIVE C2X: The systems tested included not only warnings of construction sites and traffic jams, approaching emergency vehicles, weather and road conditions, but also traffic sign information and systems that optimize traffic flow at traffic lights, or give early warning of hidden dangers and obstacles.

Seemingly trivial details occasionally delivered the biggest learnings. For example, on country roads in Germany, signs that warn of wild animals crossing the road show a deer, while in Scandinavia the signs show a moose. The electronics in each vehicle must be adapted to such differences, so that the car reacts the same way in every country. In Finland and Sweden, the authorities also place great importance on avoiding accidents near schools with special warning signs and speed limits; these additional warning signs were transmitted to the vehicle via car2X. Car2X also had to respect the various legal requirements in the participating countries. Bernd Büchs: “In France, for example, the speed on motorways is 130 km/h, when it rains it is 110 km/h. The systems must consider differences such as this, as well as the corresponding laws in other countries”.

Opel and DRIVE C2X: Sensors of the weather warning developed by Opel gather data on along roads most affected by temperature, fog, rain or snow and inform the vehicles via car2X technology.

The automobile industry predicts that car2X will be market-ready in between two and five years’ time. The priorities are standardization, vehicle integration and ease of use. In addition, the technology must be affordable for the customer, since road users will only benefit from the advantages when as many drivers as possible use the systems. The reaction of the test drivers to the technology was very positive; the majority would use the systems and would be willing to pay an additional price for them.

About DRIVE C2X:

The DRIVE C2X consortium consists of 34 partner und 13 support members. The project costs amount to 18.6 million euros; the European Union contributed 12.4 million euros. The consortium includes of automobile manufacturers, the supplier industry, software developers, research institutes, traffic engineers, and road network operators. The participants were: Adam Opel AG, Audi, BMW Forschung und Technik, Centro Ricerche Fiat, Daimler AG, Ford Forschungszentrum Aachen, Honda Research Institute Europe, Peugeot Citroën Automobiles, Renault, Volvo Personenvagnar, Yamaha Motor, Continental, Delphi Deutschland, Denso Automotive Deutschland, Hitachi Europe SAS, Neavia Technologies, NEC Europe, Renesas Electronics Europe, Robert Bosch, Testing Technologies, Vector Informatik, YGOMI, PTV Planung Transport Verkehr, Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen, Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia, Chalmers University, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Facit Research, Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Saarland, Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux, Institut Nationale de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Lindholmen Science Park, Technische Universität Graz, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Universitatea Tehnica Cluj-Napoca, University of Surrey, Technical Research Centre of Finland, Autostrada del Brennero, City of Tampere, Hessen Mobil – Road and Traffic Management, Rijkswaterstaat, Trafikverket, EICT, ERTICO – ITS Europe, ETSI Centre for Testing and Interoperability, Nokian Renkaat.