OxTS is introducing an advanced option to its popular RT-Range product so that the range can be computed in 3D, rather than assuming a flat earth model.
As the hunter vehicle pitches, sensors see differences in the forward range. This is more apparent when vehicles move to real-world situations where the road is not flat and uniform. In the default, 2D calculations the range to the other vehicle is computed in the horizontal plane, ignoring changes in angle of the hunter and differences in altitude. (In 2D mode the proper transformation is still used to move the RT’s position to the sensor point or bulls-eye point.) Now, using the new 3D technique, the roll and pitch of the vehicles are taken into account when the forward and lateral ranges are computed. The roll and pitch are used to compute a new measurement plane (not horizontal). The target is projected in to this tilted measurement plane, mimicking the behaviour of radar and other ADAS sensors.
In the 3D model the polygon is tilted to the angle of the target vehicle, but the target is still represented as a flat object in order to save the engineer from generating a full, 3D model for the vehicle.
3D calculations require accurate knowledge of the roll, pitch and heading angles of the vehicle. The RT products are extremely accurate in their orientation measurements so they are able to accurately make the 3D calculations. This is something that customers struggle to do accurately using GPS-only systems.
OxTS is the leading supplier of comprehensive test instrumentation for Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) development.
