The combination of lean validation and a digital twin is known as virtual release. This reverses the original relationship between a hardware test and simulation: “The simulation with the digital twin will become our basic instrument for releasing developments,” explains Bastian Schubert. “In the future the purpose of real tests will be to check how good our simulations are. But instead of having to carry out complete testing, we will only have to check how closely the predicted results from the simulation match the actual test results. The test will tell us how good our model is. Once this is confirmed, the release will be based on the simulation – and not on the test.” This will bring enormous time savings – especially because we will not stop learning just because we are waiting for new prototypes to be made. Unlike the hybrid release approach under lean validation, with virtual release we are no longer just reducing the scope of individual tests. Instead we can virtualize entire test series in certain prototype phases.
So, in three stages, ZF is significantly reducing development times and costs with no loss of quality. What better way to remain competitive in a dynamic environment.
