A TYRE MODEL FOR INTERACTIVE DRIVING SIMULATORS

This paper takes place in the general context of interactive driving s imulation and is based on development works made on the simulators use d by INRETS, PSA and RENAULT, the partners of the SARA (Advanced drivi ng Simulator for Automotive Research) project. There is a need for sim ulators that accurately reproduce the driving cues necessary to enable handling analyses with virtual prototypes of light and heavy vehicles . For this purpose, the SARA modelling team is developping ARHMM (Adva nced Road Handling Modular Model). The present paper explains current characteristics of the ARHMM [tyre] module and gives an overview of in coming evolutions. The ARHMM [tyre] module, enabling the vehicle to ru n on three dimensional ground, is based on the coupled Michelin Magic Formula Owing to numerical improvements, this formulation has been ada pted to low velocities, important loads and high side slip ang;es. The functioning area has therefore been enlarged, although it is unsure b y how much the validity domain has also been increased. So transient p henomena and friction still have to be introduced to render tyre dynam ics.