Virtual Car Prototyping in Realistic Driving Environment: Examples of Deep Water Crossing and Heavy Rain Management

To develop future electrical and autonomous cars, it is important to virtually test the car in real driving circumstances, including on wet road or under heavy rain conditions. It is especially critical to check that no water prevents the sensors of the driving assistance systems or autonomous cars from working properly, that water intrusion does not disturb electrical equipment, and that the driver’s visibility remains good under rain condition.

ESI Group has introduced the Finite Point Method (FPM) in Virtual Performance Solution (VPS) as a CFD mesh free module in order to simulate the interaction of water with the car structure. It was initially specialized for tank sloshing and water drain applications for car closures and is now extended to other application fields.

The objective is to enable a holistic prediction of the car behavior under realistic driving conditions, using a virtual car prototype. Detailed water behavior is accounted for, along with the deformation of structural part, in order to:

• Address specific problematics of electrical cars, related to water intrusion on wet road or heavy rain
• Predict car drivability for deep water crossing and ensure the water does not prevent autonomous car sensors of working as expected
• Improve safety and driving comfort by ensuring good visibility under rain
• Prevent accidental failures of structural parts due to water splash and brutal thermal effects.