Virtual Test Drive x - Hexagon
VTDx is a next-generation software platform that builds on the legacy of VTD in the automotive simulation industry. As an embedded designer involved from the very start, my responsibilities included conducting user research to identify needs and pain points, enhancing user flows based on feedback, and designing new features while suggesting improvements. I also ensured component consistency aligned with the organization-wide design system and collaborated closely with stakeholders, including product owners, product managers, developers, and sales representatives. This experience enabled me to contribute to making VTDx a user-centric and efficient solution for the industry.
Associated with : Hexagon (Manufacturing Intelligence division)
Team : Ramona Schwab, Luis Palolo
Role : Embedded Designer
About VTDx
Virtual Test Drive X (VTDx) is an environment simulation software designed to test, train, and validate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving (AD) features. It’s the next-generation software following VTD, incorporating the latest technology like Unreal Engine 5 and cloud-native solutions to enhance development. The software minimizes physical testing by enabling extensive early-phase testing. Features include an intuitive UI for configuring sensors and test scenarios, scalable simulation solutions and photorealistic environment visualisation.
In simple terms, VTDx can be used to simulate how a specific vehicle model, based on its dynamics, would behave while driving on the roads of Hamburg, Germany. For example, it can test how the lane change system or automatic braking would function in real-world scenarios.
Key features we worked on
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To create a simulation-ready Test Case, users had to input a number of files in VTDx which were often times quite large and would require a significant amount of upload time. We worked on enhancing the experience by providing a seamless transition between a users' local machine and VTDx web-interface by designing the library experience.
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​Through user research, we found out that most of our simulation engineers wanted to test a bunch of Test Cases at once by changing only a few parameters. For this, we worked on a batch Test case creation experience called "Test Case Campaign"
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A major input file type for VTDx is the scenario where the user defines the map (eg. Hamburg), traffic lights, time (eg. Night), weather conditions (eg. Snow) etc to test the vehicle model. We designed an integrated application for scenario editing which not only enhances the end-to-end VTDx user experience but also adds value to the business.
Recognition
( Dec, 2024) VTDx has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 iF design Awards. Winners to be announced in February 2025.
Please note: As VTDx is set to launch officially towards the end of December 2024, I will be able to share more details soon.
Stay tuned !