Spirent Releases Conformance Test Suite at USDOT Certification Level for In-vehicle and V2V Connectivity

Spirent Communications, a testing and measurement company, has announced the release of a WAVE-DSRC (Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments - Dedicated Short-Range Communications) conformance test solution, which includes a set of tests required for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) certification.

In late 2016, the USDOT proposed a rule that would require automakers to include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technologies in all new light-duty vehicles. The purpose is to make V2V devices use standardized messaging throughout the industry. By mandating that vehicles talk to each other, it will reportedly enable new crash-avoidance applications that could prevent hundreds of thousands of crashes each year.

Spirent’s new TTsuite-WAVE-DSRC consists of four different protocol conformance test suites as per the USDOT Certification Operating Council (COC) conformance test specifications. It enables full test automation, includes frameworks for individual adaptation, and it is extensible with many plug-ins to meet constantly changing development requirements.

“We are carrying the ball as far as we can to realize the potential of transportation technology to save lives,” wrote Anthony Foxx, former U.S. Transportation Secretary, on the NHTSA website. “This long promised V2V rule is the next step in that progression. Once deployed, V2V will provide 360-degree situational awareness on the road and will help us enhance vehicle safety.”

The company said this new product release is targeted at companies supplying or testing WAVE-DSRC ITS technology. TTworkbench is designed to offer a variety of functions, including DUT monitoring and simulation and support for all of the automotive international standard test specifications, including OPEN Alliance, AUTOSAR and Avnu.

“Spirent is proud to support the activities of the U.S. Department of Transportation with modern solutions for testing in-vehicle and V2X connectivity,” said Thomas Schulze, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Spirent. “Our engagement helps to improve the future of driving by ensuring high-quality products that provide more safety, more convenience and more infotainment options than ever before.  We are committed to assisting our customers accelerate the development and deployment of automated vehicles.”