Invest Ottawa together with the government of Ontario and strategic partners have launched the Ottawa L5 connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) test facility in Canada.

Designed to meet customer demand for rapid, cost-effective development of next-gen vehicle systems with features such as driver assistance and autonomous operation, SimCenter will offer both software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) integration into an overall driver-in-the-loop (DIL) virtual world. It will house the first VI-grade DiM 250 (Driver-in-Motion) series motion platform in North America.

Safety is ranked as the number one concern for the acceptance and adoption of automated vehicles, commonly referred to as “self-driving cars.” The safety case for these types of vehicles – as well as recent fatal incidents – drives a complex series of requirements and has drawn attention to the way some automated vehicle companies approach vehicle design, testing, verification, and validation.

Ricardo has signed a new engine supply contract with McLaren Automotive. The latest agreement is the largest ever signed by the British supplier and confirms the company as supplier of engines to McLaren in support of its Track25 business plan.

Since 2011, Ricardo has manufactured the entire production requirements of McLaren Automotive at its purpose-built assembly facility at Shoreham in the UK. In the past year production levels approached 5,000 engines, while the total delivered since the partnership commenced now significantly exceeds 15,000.

German OEM BMW has announced that its 2020 7 Series model line-up will include an all-new PHEV variant with an in-line six-cylinder engine. The sedan will also be available with a 6.6-liter V12, a 4.4-liter V8 or a 3-liter six-cylinder.

The new plug-in hybrid system will feature a more advanced high-voltage battery, more power and torque, plus improved figures for electric range. Available at launch, the newly developed drive technology consists of a specially adapted six-cylinder in-line engine from the current BMW EfficientDynamics family of power units.

The Powertrain Expertise Centre, in Carrières-sous-Poissy, France, is part of a €32m investment in testing resources.

With nearly 80 test benches and 15ha of surface area, the facility will bring together 1,300 employees in a single location dedicated to assessing vehicle, powertrain and motor performance, including all aspects of testing and development.