JLR Tests Vehicle Doors 84,000 Times In Extreme Conditions Using Rudy The Robot

The robot, named Rudy, operates in a £2.1 million testing chamber designed to replicate extreme conditions, including temperatures as low as minus 40 Degree Celsius and as high as 82 Degree Celsius. Testing is being undertaken at this facility is part of JLR’s ongoing development activities, which aim to improve the functionality and reliability of its vehicles across all models.

As part of a 12-week test cycle, Rudy opens and closes vehicle doors 84,000 times to simulate long-term usage. Sheding more light on the testing process the company shared that during the Christmas period, Rudy is scheduled to open and close a Range Rover door over 14,000 times.

This testing process assesses the functionality of door components, including hinges, locking mechanisms, panel alignment and the operation of deployable door handles.

The Gaydon facility includes various virtual and physical testing environments, such as climate chambers, vehicle simulators, and semi-anechoic chambers, as well as 32 miles of test tracks with different surface conditions. These facilities are used to evaluate the performance and reliability of JLR vehicles under different conditions.

Thomas Mueller, JLR Executive Director, Product Engineering said, “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”.