Lessons Learned from the Design and Development of Vehicle Simulators

Abstract

Vehicle simulators are crucial tools used in a variety of areas, such as aviation, driving, or maritime transportation. International standards require the use of motion-based vehicle simulators in training scenarios. However, the huge variety of applications and requirements makes it difficult for end users to find a motion-based commercial solution that fulfils their needs. On the other hand, commercial solutions are usually expensive as they involve specific hardware and software. Although some ad-hoc solutions have been reported, a generalized design strategy is needed. In this article, the authors emphasize the need for finding a development methodology for these important tools and they propose an overall strategy for the design of vehicle simulators, focusing on the relevant decisions according to the authors' learned experience. The following aspects are considered: use, motion hardware, cockpit, users, display types, cost and physical space. Finally, the authors show three case studies where these decisions have been already taken: a rescue speedboat simulator, a tractor simulator and a driving simulator.