Abstract
A fully automatic real-time tool is commercially available for analyzing and
scoring vehicle drive quality, also know as "Driveability". This system from AVL uses its
own transducers, calibrated to the response of the human body; to measure the forces felt by
the driver, such as acceleration, shock, surging, vibration, noise, etc. Simultaneously, the
vehicle operating conditions are measured, (accelerator pedal angle, engine speed, gear,
velocity, temp, etc). Because the software is pre-programmed with the scores from a
multitude of vehicles in each vehicle class via neural networks, a quality score with reference
to similar competitor vehicles is instantly given.
While most globally available vehicle classes are comprehended, the North American full-size
pickup truck presents a unique combination of truck utility functionality with a high level
of occupant comfort. This paper describes the process of creating a new pickup truck
driveability class, how it differs from the geometrically-similar full-size SUV class, and the
underlying physics.
An all-new full-size pickup truck, in development at General Motors (GM), used the objective
driveability tool in several stages. This paper describes the driveability benchmarking activity
with competitive vehicles in the early stage, followed by definition and assessment of certain
key vehicle drive characteristics. Integration of the driveability tool into the engine and
transmission calibration process is highlighted, bringing a total powertrain focus and overall
final customer satisfaction perspective. Finally, the internalization of the objective
driveability tool into vehicle program reviews and milestone development rides is offered.
Keywords: Driveability, Truck, Measurement, Powertrain, Quality