Advanced Target Setting with Software Tools for the Market Directed Development Process 2014-36-0512

Core competitiveness is rapidly becoming of more importance in todays dynamic automotive sector. Customer demands are to be analyzed and implemented rapidly and precisely through setting clear vehicle targets for future models. Software tools deployed over a wide spectrum of applications are hereby a key resource to be acquired in the reach for efficient and accurate vehicle development.

For more than two decades, Applus+ IDIADA has been using advanced measurement techniques to characterise vehicle dynamics performance. Target setting necessitates the definition of appropriate objective test programs together with subjective performance evaluations carried out by expert drivers. Their individual outputs, together with in-depth correlation between the two, form the core activity of the process. Only through clear understanding and contrasting of both sides one is able to identify such descriptive vehicle parameters (metrics), best defining and targeting a desired subjective performance level. Lastly, a vast database of information is now a key asset that permits to set target ranges linked with different performance styles and vehicle concepts, best emphasizing branding differentiation within the market.

Advanced target setting is possible through crossmatching subjective ratings with the right combinations of objective metrics through an extensive number of vehicle results. In order to arrive to this aim a complete suite of software tools has been developed that combines results from the necessary sources, further enabling the user to build up a database for effective target analyses.