New Taillight System for Euro NCAP Global Vehicle Target
New rear lighting functionality for Soft Car 360® ADAS target enhances realism and expands test capabilities.
Developed in response to a significant increase in demand for camera-based ADAS testing.
Seamless integration with platform software enables custom control strategies for flexible testing.
AB Dynamics, a leading automotive test solution supplier, together with sister company Dynamic Research, Inc. (DRI), has launched an active taillight system for the Soft Car 360® ADAS target, Euro NCAP’s official Global Vehicle Target. The active taillights are a representative rear lighting system for the development and testing of camera-based ADAS systems.
The addition of the taillights to the Soft Car 360 comes as automotive manufacturers increasingly focus on the performance of camera-based ADAS technologies. These systems rely heavily on visual cues, such as brake lights and turn signals, to make critical safety decisions sooner, helping to avoid collisions.
"We've seen a significant increase in demand from customers conducting camera-based ADAS testing," said Nathaniel Kuhl, Product Development Engineer at DRI. "As vehicles become more advanced, their ADAS systems are using brake lights and turn signals to help make decisions sooner to improve safety and the driver experience. The active taillight system is another step forward in increasing the realism and capability of the Soft Car 360."
The new lighting system integrates seamlessly into the Soft Car 360's design, using an alternative rear skin with LED lights installed in specially designed pockets. The LEDs meet the lumens and RGB colour values required to meet relevant international specifications.
The Soft Car 360 has been extensively tested by DRI to ensure it is recognised as a real car by all relevant automotive sensors, including radar, LiDAR, IR, and camera systems. During development, its modular design was subjected to over 100 high-speed impacts without damage.
A key design requirement of the Soft Car 360 is to minimise its impact on the test vehicle in the event of a collision. The new lighting system continues this philosophy and features flexible LED lights, a weight-optimised mounting system and custom protective cases for the battery and associated electronics.
"During durability testing, we repeatedly hit the Soft Car 360 at speeds in excess of 100 km/h," continued Kuhl. “Neither the Soft Car 360, the light system, nor the test vehicle sustained any damage. We have largely achieved this by focusing on minimising weight throughout while also maintaining rigidity."
The taillights are self-contained, utilising their own battery and communication system, enabling test teams to quickly install and remove them as necessary. The battery has been designed to last for a typical day’s worth of testing and can be easily swapped for a spare if required.
The lighting system offers multiple control options for maximum testing flexibility. Users can manually operate the lights via remote transmitter, synchronise it to the target’s movements for automatic operation, or create custom lighting sequences through AB Dynamics' software.
"We have worked closely with AB Dynamics to ensure the lighting system is fully integrated with the target platform and software," Kuhl explains. "This gives customers free reign over the control of the lighting system providing more flexibility and custom configurations when creating and developing their test scenarios."
The new taillight system will be available to customers from October 2025 and can be retrofitted to existing Soft Car 360 units via a new rear skin panel. New Soft Car 360 purchases that specify the taillight option will receive both standard and active taillight-equipped rear skins, allowing customers to choose the appropriate configuration for their testing needs.