Bentley Unveils Cutting-Edge Compact Full Spectrum Driving Simulator for Sustainable Luxury Car Development

Bentley Unveils Cutting-Edge Compact Full Spectrum Driving Simulator for Sustainable Luxury Car Development

(IN BRIEF) Bentley Motors introduced its new Compact Full Spectrum Driving Simulator, set to be installed at its Dream Factory in Crewe. The innovative simulator, developed by VI-grade, offers a sustainable alternative to physical testing and will significantly reduce the number of real-world road miles required for vehicle development. It can accurately assess ride comfort, cabin acoustics, and vibration, enabling evaluations over various road surfaces and supporting seat development. This advancement in virtual development capabilities not only enhances Bentley’s ability to refine core attributes but also contributes to sustainability efforts by saving around 85 tons of CO2 and up to 350 days of traditional road testing per vehicle prototype. Dr Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering at Bentley Motors, highlighted the substantial sustainability benefits of the simulator, while Charlie Smith, Virtual Vehicle Engineer, emphasized its role in accelerating product development and enhancing simulation capabilities.

(PRESS RELEASE) CREWE, 3-May-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Bentley Motors announced the company’s new Compact Full Spectrum Driving Simulator, to be installed at its Dream Factory in Crewe where every Bentley is crafted by hand. The innovative driving simulator offers a more sustainable alternative to physical testing for development of vehicle comfort and will dramatically cut the number of real-world road miles Bentley engineers will cover in order to test the world’s most sought-after luxury cars.

Among the elements the simulator can accurately assess are ride comfort, cabin acoustics and vibration, as well as supporting seat development. It will enable ride comfort evaluations over various emulated road surfaces, such as potholes and bumps, providing a valuable and time-saving representation of vehicle response, long before the reliance on physical prototypes would have previously enabled.

Installed at the Bentley’s campus, the pioneering technology will save around 85 tons of CO2 and up to 350 days of traditional road testing per vehicle prototype. Developed in Italy by global simulator specialists VI-grade, the compact system will play a major role in the development of Bentley’s forthcoming range of battery electric vehicles.

Dr Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering, Bentley Motors, said:

“Beyond its technical capabilities, the Dynamic Driving Simulator brings substantial sustainability benefits, reducing the need for both physical prototypes and extensive physical tests, the latter often involving cars and colleagues shipped to remote locations around the world. As our customers would expect, the system will also play a key part in defining the luxury experience associated with every Bentley car.”

Charlie Smith, Virtual Vehicle Engineer at Bentley Motors, added:

“The introduction of the first, all-encompassing ride frequency driving simulator at Bentley is a key moment for us. This state-of-the-art system represents a significant advancement in our virtual development capabilities and will allow us to refine core Bentley attributes in a dynamic, driver-in-the-loop virtual environment for the first time. It offers unprecedented precision, ensuring that every Bentley delivers the unparalleled luxury and performance our customers demand. This simulator is a strategic step towards accelerating our product development cycle, minimising reliance on physical prototypes and enhancing simulation capabilities.”

Media Contacts:

STEFANIE LACKNER
Head of Sustainability Communications
stefanie.lackner@bentley.co.uk
+44 (0) 7443 146394

WAYNE BRUCE
Chief Communications and D&I Officer
wayne.bruce@bentley.co.uk

SOURCE: Bentley