IAT Announced ISDC Distributed Driving & Steering Platform

Source: Author: Date:2024-09-09 Read:241

As a leading solution provider of vehicle development in China, IAT recently announced a significant breakthrough in its new self-developed chassis platform with Intelligent, Integrated, 90° Steering-capable, Driving Corner Module (ISDC). The launch of this platform marks IAT’s new leap in the frontier technologies of four-wheel distributed drive, steering and active suspension.

ISDC chassis platform is another masterpiece after the launch of RUBIK.X centralized drive steering skateboard platform. The new platform adopts the intelligent, integrated, 90° steering, corner-driving modular architecture with completely independent intellectual property rights. 

The platform has completed the definition of product architecture, preliminary selection of electromechanical hardware structure design, control strategy development, software algorithms and core patent layout, which shows a strong technical strength and advanced preparation for the market demand.

High Technology for Innovative Chassis

The ISDC chassis platform supports the four-wheel arbitrary steering from -45 degrees to 90 degrees, which can realize a variety of special driving modes such as diagonal lane changing, rear-wheel steering, traverse strolling, and on-the-spot steering. This feature greatly enriches the vehicle's usage scenarios and stimulates intelligent driving potential, making the ISDC chassis platform particularly suitable for applications of intelligent logistics vehicle with high driving flexibility, intelligent mobile charging station, and robobus etc.

The integration and modularity are the core innovative concepts of the ISDC chassis platform. The modular body design is powered by integrated die-casting technology, which significantly reduces the number of components and improves manufacturing efficiency and dimensional accuracy by applying cold joint and structural adhesive methods. Meanwhile, the optimized large storage space in the front and rear compartments further enhance the practicality and flexibility of the vehicle.

Regarding performance, the ISDC chassis platform can completely decouple between four-wheel steering and drive, which can redefine the limit of vehicle handling stability. The steering motor is mini sized by adopting harmonic reduction technology in large ratio, while the high-torque axial-flux hub motor realizes ultra-small axial size of the wheel edge, highly efficient braking performance, and low unsprung mass by integrating annularly distributed multi-piston and multi-disc hydraulic brakes. 

These technological innovations empower the ISDC chassis platform to achieve the industry-leading level in solving the famous challenges of matching the two major motor assemblies to the skateboard platform.

In addition, the ISDC chassis platform also focuses on the commonality of core modules and lightweight design. The front and rear axle corner modules are universal, and the left and right corner module components have been commonly designed to the greatest extent, thus reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs. 

The core component of the steering rack is a thin-walled shell-type structure, made by high-pressure casting process. The internal space can deploy with air springs, collaborating with the high load-bearing, lightweight five-link independent suspension system (compared with other independent suspensions), to provide excellent handling performance and ride comfort. Furthermore, the patented auxiliary support control arm and steering damper positioned in the lower part of the corner module further optimize the handling stability of the whole vehicle.

The ISDC chassis platform also shows outstanding achievements in its integration design. The beam-type air tank integrates storage and structural functions, and vibration components such as air suspension electronic air pump, electromagnetic distribution valve, air conditioning compressor and electronic water pump are integrated at the top, which are connected to the body through a four-point rubber cushion for vibration isolation. 

The highly integrated design not only brings greater space and lower mass, but also improves the overall NVH performance and reliability of the system.

Leading-edge Vision Powering Vehicle R&D

So far, IAT has released the first stage of ISDC chassis platform DEMO function prototype. As the project moves on, IAT will continue the detailed design optimization of software and hardware platforms for the development of some specific models, in order to transform the outcome of this cutting-edge technology into actual productivity at soonest.

The release of IAT ISDC chassis platform is another in-depth exploration and effective practice of the company in the path of technological innovation. With the advancement of artificial intelligence technology, AI has been gradually applied to automotive intelligent cockpit, intelligent driving and other fields, which has significantly improved the level of automotive intelligence. In the field of automobile design, AI large models show considerable advantages in graphic image processing and other aspects. 

IAT has taken the lead in powering AI applications in the fields of styling design, engineering development, simulation modeling, etc., thus simplifying and improving the efficiency of the automotive R&D and design workflow, reducing the automotive R&D cycle. IAT has been dedicatedly promoting the such new modes of R&D and design and the new service.

According to the recently released semi-annual financial report 2024, IAT has officially become NVIDIA Solution Advisor: Consultant. The company has gradually applied the Omniverse platform to the design and development business. 

In the future, based on its own R&D and design experience in the automotive industry, supply chain resources, model data accumulation, and a wide range of customers at home and abroad, the company will provide customers with a package of solutions in AI models, intelligent chassis, and other areas, and make continuous efforts in science for better cars.

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