NISMO adopts rFpro for its Driver-in-the-Loop Simulation
NISMO to use rFpro to optimise tyres, suspension, aerodynamics and overall vehicle configuration
rFpro helps NISMO improve the efficiency of vehicle development
rFpro provides highly accurate digital models of the world’s premier race circuits
Hampshire, UK: NISMO, the renowned motorsport division of Nissan, has chosen rFpro as its Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulation software provider. It will be used to develop the team’s race cars across its racing programmes, including Super GT.
“We chose rFpro because of its high-quality graphics and engineering-grade track models, which are key elements for DIL simulation for vehicle development and to immerse the driver,” said Motohiro Matsumura, Director, NISMO. “rFpro has a high level of correlation between its simulation and the track. This has helped us to improve our race car development and make the process more repeatable. As a result, set-up work is significantly more effective and efficient.”
rFpro is an engineering-grade simulation environment for the automotive and motorsport industries. A key part of its software is TerrainServer, a high-definition road surface model created using LiDAR scan data. It captures detailed surface information, accurate to 1cm in the horizontal and 1mm in the vertical, providing high correlation with the real circuit road surface. It enables vehicle dynamics to be simulated more accurately, allowing ride and secondary ride experiments to be conducted in real-time on DIL simulators.
The optimisation of the vehicle’s configuration has increasingly become a key performance differentiator with the growth of common componentry and the use of Balance of Performance adjustments in some series. On top of this, track testing is more restricted than ever, which means simulation plays a critical role in enabling motorsport teams to optimise their development and adjustment process more efficiently.
“rFpro’s high-definition road surface model provides critical tyre contact patch feedback to the drivers,” continued Matsumura. “This enables our engineering department to receive more accurate performance and driveability assessments from the drivers than would otherwise be possible. One of the key reasons we chose rFpro is because the HD road surface is built to NISMO’s demanding standards.”
As well as ensuring the digital models are geometrically precise, rFpro’s expert art team have ensured each model is aesthetically realistic too. This creates a higher level of immersion for the drivers, ensuring they react and drive as they would on track.
“rFpro’s high-quality graphics are key to immersing the drivers and help them to replicate the same braking, clipping and acceleration point,” said Matsumura. “Our drivers have commented that since adopting rFpro, the graphics and high-definition road surface are very close to reality and that eye strain has been significantly reduced.”
rFpro supports all the major racing categories, including Formula 1, NASCAR, WEC, IMSA, Formula E, Super GT, IndyCar and V8 Supercars. Its extensive library of digital models consists of more than 130 race circuits and test tracks internationally.