Cruise control (CC) is the system that automates the speed control of a vehicle. The system is responsible for a number of complex, interrelated control functions and requires a significant amount of analysis and design to understand and compensate for coupling and integration issues. CC for trucks is much more complicated than speed control for cars because it offers more functionality and has increased coupling between functions.
Engineers at Daimler reengineered a cruise control system for Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks, delivery trucks, and coaches. Using MathWorks tools for Model-Based Design, they designed, tested, and implemented the software on an ECU in just 18 months.
“MathWorks products were crucial to the success of this project,” says Mario Wünsche, project manager for Truck Product Creation at Daimler. “They allowed us to rapidly prototype, simulate, and test our designs throughout the entire development project in a common environment without resorting to manual implementation or learning new tools."