Design of a mode stirring facility for whole vehicle testing

The large car makers long ago became aware of the dangers of using electronics for control of vital vehicle functions in a hostile electromagnetic environment. The malfunctioning of critical functions such as the engine and brakes must above all be avoided; additionally problems with less vital comfort and entertainment features would not be well received by customers. Rover, in common with other automotive manufacturers, therefore carries out extensive testing to ensure that its in-car electronics operates as intended even in the face of severe radio frequency interference. In order to reduce the likelihood of a redesign being necessary, Rover introduced system-level testing for individual systems. Thus, allowing individual systems to be tested much earlier in the development programme of a new vehicle gives a degree of confidence that once installed in a vehicle the particular system will pass the final whole-vehicle sign-off test without problems