OWHEEL · Project

Benchmarking Wheel Corner Designs to Maximize Passenger Comfort in Self-Driving Cars

transportTestedTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you're riding in a self-driving car and every bump, turn, and lane change feels perfectly smooth — that's what OWHEEL was chasing. The team tested four different ways to design the "wheel corner" (the suspension, steering, and wheel assembly) to figure out which setup delivers the best ride when no human is steering. They built a hardware-in-the-loop driving simulator, ran extensive tests, and came out with practical recommendations for carmakers on which wheel designs work best for automated vehicles.

By the numbers

wheel corner concept classes benchmarked

consortium partners across the project

countries represented in the consortium

602,600

EUR in EU contribution

industry partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Automakers designing self-driving vehicles face a fundamental engineering challenge: traditional suspension and wheel assemblies were optimized for human drivers who actively compensate for discomfort. When no one is steering, passengers feel every bump and sway much more acutely, yet there is no industry consensus on which wheel corner architecture best solves this comfort problem while maintaining safety and efficiency.

The solution

What was built

The project built a hardware-in-the-loop driving simulator for testing wheel corner concepts under automated driving conditions, and delivered a proof of concept with demonstrated feasibility. They benchmarked 4 classes of wheel corner designs (passive positioned, passive composite, active with ride dynamics control, and active with integrated positioning control) and produced practical recommendations for automotive developers.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive OEMs developing autonomous vehicle platformsTier-1 suspension and chassis system suppliersActive suspension and ride control technology companiesAutomotive testing and simulation service providersElectric vehicle startups designing new platform architectures

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive OEMs & Tier-1 Suppliers

enterprise

Target: Vehicle platform developers designing next-generation autonomous or semi-autonomous cars

If you are an automotive OEM planning your next electric or autonomous vehicle platform — this project benchmarked 4 distinct wheel corner concepts across comfort, safety, energy efficiency, and reliability. Their HIL driving simulator and comparative analysis can help you select the right suspension architecture before committing to expensive physical prototypes. The consortium of 14 partners across 9 countries validated these concepts through simulation and proof-of-concept testing.

Automotive Suspension & Chassis Components

mid-size

Target: Tier-2 suppliers manufacturing active suspension systems, steering actuators, or composite wheel assemblies

If you are a suspension component manufacturer looking to enter the autonomous vehicle supply chain — this project developed and validated both active and passive wheel corner concepts specifically tuned for automated driving comfort. Their benchmarking criteria and analytical tools let you compare your products against the 4 tested concept classes. With 4 industry partners already involved, there is a clear path from research to product specification.

Driving Simulation & Testing Equipment

SME

Target: Companies building test rigs, simulators, or validation tools for the automotive sector

If you are a simulation and testing company serving the automotive industry — this project produced a hardware-in-the-loop driving simulator purpose-built for evaluating ride comfort in automated driving scenarios. Their benchmarking methodology covers safety, energy efficiency, reliability, and comfort simultaneously. This test platform and methodology could be licensed or adapted for your own testing services targeting the 14-partner network and beyond.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would it cost to access or license OWHEEL's benchmarking tools and simulator?

The project operated on a EUR 602,600 EU contribution under the MSCA-RISE scheme, which focuses on staff exchange and collaborative research. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator (TU Ilmenau). Given the academic nature of the consortium (10 universities out of 14 partners), licensing costs are likely to be research-friendly.

Can OWHEEL's wheel corner concepts be applied at industrial scale in vehicle production?

The project produced a proof of concept with feasibility demonstrated, plus a HIL driving simulator for testing. However, the outputs are benchmarking recommendations and validated concepts rather than production-ready components. An automotive manufacturer would need to take these validated designs through further engineering and industrialization steps.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP is typically shared among the 14 consortium partners according to the EU grant agreement terms. TU Ilmenau as coordinator would be the first point of contact for IP discussions. The 4 industry partners in the consortium may hold specific exploitation rights for commercially relevant results.

How do OWHEEL's results compare to existing autonomous vehicle comfort standards?

The project specifically revisited driving comfort criteria and tuned them to automated driving requirements and operational modes. Based on available project data, they developed new benchmarking criteria that go beyond traditional ride comfort metrics by simultaneously addressing safety, energy efficiency, and reliability alongside comfort.

What was actually delivered and tested?

The project delivered a HIL driving simulator built from comparative analysis across work packages, plus a proof of concept with feasibility demonstrated. They benchmarked 4 classes of wheel corner concepts: passive with specific wheel positioning, passive composite, active with ordinary ride dynamics control, and active with integrated wheel positioning control.

Can OWHEEL's simulator integrate with our existing vehicle development tools?

The HIL driving simulator was developed within the project's work packages for simulator-based testing of wheel corner concepts. Based on available project data, integration details would need to be discussed with TU Ilmenau. Hardware-in-the-loop simulators typically interface with standard automotive development toolchains.

Is there ongoing support or follow-up research planned?

The project closed in December 2024 after a 5-year run. The consortium spans 9 countries including Japan and South Africa, suggesting a broad research network that may continue collaboration. Contact the coordinator at TU Ilmenau for information about follow-up activities or continued access to results.

Consortium

Who built it

The OWHEEL consortium brings together 14 partners from 9 countries, including major automotive markets (Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, UK) plus Japan and South Africa, giving it genuine international reach. However, the balance leans heavily academic: 10 universities versus only 4 industry partners, with just 2 SMEs and a 29% industry ratio. The coordinator, TU Ilmenau in Germany, is a respected technical university with strong automotive research credentials. For a business looking to adopt these results, the relatively low industry involvement means the gap between research output and commercial product may require additional engineering investment — but the diverse geographic spread means the benchmarking reflects multiple driving cultures and regulatory environments.

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAUCoordinator · DE
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION THEUNIVERSITY OF TOKYOpartner · JP
UNIVERSITE DE TECHNOLOGIE DE COMPIEGNEparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO IIparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIApartner · ZA
POLITECNICO DI TORINOparticipant · IT
VILNIAUS GEDIMINO TECHNIKOS UNIVERSITETASparticipant · LT
TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE EUROPE BVBAparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIAparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

Contact TU Ilmenau (Technische Universität Ilmenau), Germany — the project coordinator. Look for the vehicle dynamics or automotive engineering department.

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAU profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the OWHEEL research team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people at TU Ilmenau and their industry partners to discuss licensing, collaboration, or technology transfer.

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