Retrofit Kit: applications of CANbus to Virtual - Semi Real - Real Prototyping

Electric mobility has been identified as a promising solution for reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector. However, the high cost of purchasing a new electric vehicle (EV) may be prohibitive for many people. Retrofitting a traditional vehicle with an electric conversion kit can be a more affordable way to transition to electric mobility. A retrofit kit typically includes an electric motor, a battery pack, a controller, a charger, and other necessary components. By replacing the internal combustion engine with an electric motor, it allows the vehicle to run on electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Moreover, retrofitting an existing vehicle is a sustainable solution that can extend the life of the vehicle and save resources and energy. The integration of the retrofit kit into the vehicle's systems must be carefully planned and executed to ensure safety, reliability, and optimal performance: software development methodologies, such as the extended V-cycle and CAN network integration, can provide a structured approach to developing and integrating software components into the retrofit kit and the vehicle's existing systems. The thesis project therefore aims at the use of the Extendend V-Cycle, applied to the three main phases of the project: Virtual, Semi-Real and Real Prototype. The Extended V-Cycle and the CAN network can be used together to improve the vehicle software development process. The creation of the Virtual Prototype requires the creation of a Control Logic module that communicates with the Environment, the Plant, the HMI and the User. This is a purely simulation phase, since it replicates reality numerically, through a movement of states. The CAN network can be used to allow communication between these modules, ensuring greater integration and synchronization between the various systems. The semi-real model, i.e. the bench, has a dual function: it ensures that the results of the virtual model are compliant and at the same time emulates the real model, i.e. it replicates for example the weight of the vehicle and adds elements in power. The CAN network therefore becomes a vitally important tool, as it allows detecting any problems and at the same time being able to carry out analyzes on the results obtained. Finally, in the real model, the CAN network can be used for the transmission of road test data, allowing technicians to analyze and interpret the data to evaluate the vehicle's performance in real conditions. Through suitable CANanalyzers it is also possible to monitor in real time critical parameters of a retrofit kit, such as the battery temperature. In summary, the use of the CAN network can improve the Extended V-Cycle through reliable communication between various vehicle components, diagnostics and troubleshooting during testing, and transmission of road test data for vehicle performance analysis. This allows for greater integration and synchronization between the various systems, increasing the quality and predictability of the software development process. In the next sections, for each of the 3 phases, it will be shown which CANanalyzers can be used and which results can be obtained.