An Introduction to the Concepts Involved in Vehicle Testing

Abstract

Research covers a spectrum from pure research, through applied research and development, to market research. The most appropriate places for each kind to be pursued are discussed, together with the types of staff, instrumentation and facilities for testing that are essential to all research work. The three main areas of industrial research and testing are applied research, development testing and production testing; the particular requirements of each are considered. Applied research must be relevant to vehicle functioning, and projects may arise from new scientific discoveries, from novel ideas originating within a research organization, or from an urgent industrial need. In each case test techniques must be developed to obtain the data given in each category. Development testing requires the design and construction of laboratory rigs and proving facilities to obtain data in the most economical way. Production testing is directed mainly to the control of product quality and demands techniques and facilities which can be operated continuously and on a large scale. The types of facility needed for each of these applications are considered, with a view to giving an overall view of the matters discussed in detail in the papers of this Symposium.