Abstract
Key words: driving dynamics, simulation, virtual 3D display
The 3D vehicle dynamics display system combines the output from the mathematical model of a road vehicle driving dynamics, the database of vehicle data and the display subsystem. It reads vehicle handling parameters from a hardware input device and thus acts as an interactive driving simulator, usable for training vehicle operators. It supports vehicles with up to four axles and polygon mesh driving surfaces of virtually unlimited size. The simulation is displayed in virtual 3D environment in real time. The simulation values can be exported in form of tables for analysis and comparison. Part of the system is a growing library of low- to mid-polygon count 3D geometrical models of common road and off-road vehicles that can be used in trace and visibility analyses in traffic accident research. Apart from vehicle operator training, the system is used to prepare presentations of vehicle dynamics for various different purposes that range from interactive live animations for courtroom presentations to descriptive imagery in publications.