10044873Reduced Cost for Electric Motor Testing and DevelopmentClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKAutoneura's purpose is to provide the world with software solutions to reduce the cost of development for future propulsion systems by 2x to 10x. With the advent of more complex propulsion systems and autonomous technology, customers need to do more complex real-world testing in the laboratory. This grant will help develop Autoneura's control software product for testing of electric motors. Before describing the testing hardware that Autoneura's software is applied to it is important to delineate the hierarchy of testing equipment from a capital expenditure point of view. Before moving to complete physical testing of propulsion systems (such as combustion engines or electric motors) two options exist: 1) computer simulations and 2) computer simulations combined with hardware (Hardware in the Loop; HiL rigs). When simulations are mature enough, full physical testing of propulsion systems is next, e.g., testing a bespoke prototype combustion engine, electric motor, and/or gearbox. Prior to delving into the physical testing methodologies, it is important to note that a dynamometer is a device that is coupled to the rotating shaft of an electric motor or combustion engine to control the amount of load (i.e., force) emanating from it and rotational speed to simulate the vehicle. There are two stages of physical testing: 1) steady state engine mapping on absorbing dynamometers (starting at £50K) and 2) transient testing to simulate in-vehicle conditions where a special more expensive dynamometer (2x to 10x more expensive than an absorbing dynamometer) is required to control the transient response. Autoneura's control software enables real-world tests normally undertaken in stage two of physical testing to be undertaken on stage one equipment. Thus, Autoneura's, patented, unique selling point is enabling real-world testing at a 2x to 10x cost reduction solely from a capital expenditure perspective. Furthermore, Autoneura eliminates this extra cost and lost time with switching to a new dynamometer of limited availability.