We are pleased to announce the launch of our bicyclist ADAS target, the Soft Bicycle 360™. Developed in collaboration with our sister company, AB Dynamics, this target has been designed to reduce the potential for damage to vehicles under test while being highly durable. Being 30% lighter than comparable targets, while maintaining stiffness, the result is increased uptime and improved testing efficiency.
The launch of the Soft Bicycle 360 comes at a time when cyclist safety is under increasing scrutiny. According to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB), cyclist fatalities as a percentage of all traffic fatalities has been increasing since 2003 and when comparing data from 2007 to 2018, although total traffic fatalities decreased by 11%, cyclist fatalities increased by 22%1. It is a similar situation in Europe too. The European Commission has reported that cyclists are the only road user group in the EU where the number of fatalities has not declined since 20102. As a result, in Euro NCAP’s Vision 2030 roadmap3, the organization states it will expand its crash avoidance testing, including new scenarios with cyclists.
“As the number of cyclist test scenarios grow and become increasingly more complex, we have seen a demand for a next-generation ADAS target,” said Nate Kuhl, Product Development Engineer at DRI. “As an independent test consultancy, conducting ADAS tests for manufacturers every day, we know that even relatively minor damage to a test vehicle, such as knocking a sensor out of alignment, can cause severe delays to test programmes. Target pliability, durability and testing efficiency are absolutely critical for test engineers, and we have designed the Soft Bicycle 360 to be market-leading in these areas.”
The Soft Bicycle 360 features a single-piece frame architecture that removes the requirement for connectors, which are prone to failure, and eliminates the need for time-consuming rebuilds after impact. It is manufactured from a thin rubberized material, with strategically placed internal reinforcement encased within the frame to provide the necessary stiffness.
The rider’s legs, arms and torso are made from hollow, lightweight material wrapped in abrasion-resistant clothing for added durability. The materials used for the rider and the bicycle have also been optimized to generate representative radar reflectivity, ensuring precise sensor characterization in ADAS test scenarios.
"ADAS target design is often a delicate balance between ensuring it is compliant, in case of impact with the test vehicle, and also stability in dynamic conditions to accurately represent a real cyclist," says Kuhl. "The Soft Bicycle 360 is softer, lighter, and more stable than existing options while meeting all the relevant industry ISO standards, such as ISO 19206-4.”
One of the standout features of the Soft Bicycle 360 is its advanced wheel design. The wheel rim is made from a durable plastic core encased within foam and a rubberized skin layer. This not only creates the tire profile but also eliminates any protruding hard points of the rim that could contact the test vehicle. It is connected to a hub via soft nylon string wheel spokes, which are less likely to break or damage the test vehicle compared to metal alternatives. This significantly improves the durability and repairability of a critically exposed area of a bicycle target.
The wheels make contact with the road using the same gasket technology featured on the Soft Motorcycle 360™, meaning the wheel speed is inherently speed-matched and lateral forces are reduced to improve wheel stability.
Additionally, unlike alternatives, the design of the frame and wheel provide the capability to travel in both forward and backward directions. This enables the target platform to be rapidly repositioned for the next test scenario, significantly improving test efficiency.
“Damage to the vehicle under test caused by hitting an ADAS target, or damage to the target itself, can severely impact test programmes,” continues Kuhl. “Our durability tests have shown that the performance of the Soft Bicycle 360 is market leading. The wheels, which are particularly susceptible to damage, sustained minimal damage after repeated direct rear impacts at 60 km/h. On top of this, the soft materials we use and intentional crumple zones in the frame led to a gentler collision with test vehicles compared to alternatives.”
The Soft Bicycle 360 is compatible with AB Dynamics’ LaunchPad™ Spin platform. Piloting the target to speeds up to 30 km/h, the Spin has been specifically designed to replicate the maneuverability of a range of Vulnerable Road User (VRU) targets, including cyclists, pedestrians and e-scooters.
The Soft Bicycle 360 joins our growing range of Soft ADAS Targets, which includes the Soft Car 360, Soft Motorcycle 360, Soft Pedestrian 360, and Soft Scooter 360.
