6-DOF Racing Simulator

Six-degree-of-freedom platforms are widely used in vehicle simulators and can reproduce the operating states of many different vehicle types. A vehicle-driving training simulator built on a 6-DOF platform consists of the following systems.

The cockpit incorporates the controls, instruments and signal displays found in a real vehicle. During operation, its functions, commands and responses closely match real driving conditions.

Operating the simulator feels like sitting in an actual vehicle cockpit. Users work with joysticks, accelerators, switches and other controls while the system reproduces instrument behavior and sound effects such as engine noise and different road environments. It can simulate forward driving, reversing, steering and precision parking.

The motion system consists primarily of six servo electric cylinders and their supporting platform. The simulated cockpit is mounted on the platform, which recreates vehicle movement over different terrain. A computer system solves and controls the mathematical model of the simulator in real time, providing high information throughput and precise response.

The racing simulator combines real-time 3D image generation, vehicle-dynamics simulation, wide-field display technology such as multi-channel stereoscopic projection, a multi-axis motion platform, user-input hardware, surround sound and a central control system. Together they provide realistic visual, auditory and motion feedback in a virtual driving environment.

A dedicated controller acquires proportional signals from the steering wheel, accelerator and brake of a model or real vehicle. This enables realistic responses—for example, greater accelerator input produces higher speed. It is a high-end solution for virtual-driving applications, while lower-cost switch-input configurations are also available.