General Motors used virtual crash testing to reduce physical pre-production crashes and accelerate the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV's return to production, Jeremy Short, chief engineer for the Bolt EV, told The Drive.
Short said engineers ran simulations with complete 3D vehicle models built on commercial software augmented by GM's own tools and correlated to real-world component tests such as airbags and seats. He added that relying on simulation “greatly reduced the number of cars we run into walls.”
Because new regulations and interior changes could affect airbag deployment, the resurrected Bolt EV still required a full suite of crash evaluations performed largely in simulation, with only the final real-world test conducted for regulatory homologation, Short said. Short also said changes to the front structure were “drastic,” and virtual testing saved time and money.
Read the full article at thedrive.com.
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