Spare a thought for Rudy the Robot, JLR’s trusted automated colleague who is working hard this Christmas in minus 40‑degree conditions to test the durability and quality of JLR vehicle doors.
Based at JLR’s Gaydon Engineering Centre, the £2.1 million chamber housing Rudy is just one of the virtual and physical testing environments dedicated to delivering the next generation of safe, reliable, luxury vehicles from the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands.
Rudy opens and closes a test vehicle door 84,000 times over 12 weeks in extreme temperatures to replicate a lifetime of use on a vehicle. Over the Christmas, period, Rudy will open a Range Rover door over 14,000 times.
The full test cycle of 12‑weeks is the equivalent of a human lifting weights in the gym three times per week for more than 17 years*. Rudy endures temperatures as low as ‑40C degrees, mirroring average temperatures in the Arctic North Pole, as well as 82C degree heat equivalent to daytime conditions in Death Valley, California.
Rudy is responsible for testing the way a vehicle door opens and closes, analysing the sound and vibrations of the closure, the panel alignment and the rigidity of hinges and locking mechanisms. During the test Rudy keeps his spirits up by talking to the car, to ensure vital door features such as flush deployable door handles work even in the harshest temperatures.
Quality across the whole client ownership experience is a top priority at JLR. Rudy is just one of our vital robots representing our rigorous vehicle component testing programme, which is dedicated to evaluating vehicle parts in the most extreme conditions over a simulated lifetime of usage. This helps to ensure their durability and gives our clients the quality levels expected of a modern luxury brand.
JLR Executive Director, Product Engineering, Thomas Mueller
A door is the first attribute of a vehicle which a client engages with, so it is vital we ensure that this experience reflects our modern luxury standards. From the way the door handle deploys in cold and hot temperatures, to the sound of the door closing, it is vital that every element of our vehicle’s doors remain refined and dependable throughout a lifetime of usage.
JLR Component & System Test Manager, Thomas Love
JLR’s investment into virtual testing forms part of the luxury vehicle manufacturer’s wider £18bn Reimagine strategy, with Gaydon home to a wide range of testing facilities including vehicle simulators, cold weather climate chambers, battery s, a semi‑anechoic chamber and more. JLR’s Gaydon head office also features 32 miles of tarmacked test track, off‑roading courses, speed bumps and manhole covers, allowing engineers to put each JLR vehicle through a range of physical testing regimes that mimic real world conditions.