Vehicle end-of-line
testing
Customers expect their new vehicles to just work and end-of-line (EOL) testing is crucial to make that happen. Yet EOL testing is often a laborious and expensive part of the production process to check for correct functioning of the ever-expanding array of vehicle features and functions.
Example: Check if the A/C works as designed on all new vehicles
Consider the example of the vehicle HVAC system which can do many things beyond . Rigorous functional test of each mode its operation on the production line may be time consuming to achieve. To address this complexity technicians might be forced to do manual testing on only a small sample of vehicles, but that is a not a recipe for overall quality. The risk is that defective units are missed and vehicles are shipped out of the manufacturing line with problems. Alternatively EOL tests might be done on all vehicles but only on a subset of all the relevant conditions or with visual inspection only. That, too, can risk a defective unit emerging from the assembly line. To deliver effective quality control, the automotive industry needs tools to achieve performance testing across all vehicles and covering all the performance criteria to ensure high product quality.
Solution: Automate A/C functional tests across thousands of vehicles
Sonatus Automator allows test engineers to automate many of the manual functional tests during end-of-line testing onsite, remotely, or as they sit idle while being readied for shipment. Considering the example of a complex HVAC system, Automator could develop a rich automated self test routine to assist end of line test.
- Engineers use Automator’s console or APIs to design HVAC test routines.
- Routines automate complex workflows with specific triggers and actions.
- Triggers encompass numerous vehicle signals, external APIs, or contextual events.
- Actions include vehicle functions, diagnostics, interactions with external entities.
- Test routines are deployed remotely to vehicles in production, running during idle periods.
- Tests monitor HVAC functionality, verifying that set temperatures are reached within specification limits
- Large-scale tests can cover many modes that are difficult to do using normal manufacturing processes.
- Automator can analyze data from tests to ensure safety and compliance with design specifications
Improve quality testing efficiency with Sonatus Automator
This simple example is one of many such tests that Sonatus Automator can automate to greatly reduce the operational overhead of end-of-line functional testing. Its support for a vast array of triggers and actions, automakers can dramatically improve testing efficiency and reduce the overall cost of production. Automator can help automate many electronics and electrical testing to ensure high levels of quality across all vehicles in the production line, not just a sample.
Related products and solutions
Sonatus Automator
Related resources
The Road to Zero Defects: Automated Vehicle Testing
Innovating across the vehicle lifecycle with Automator
