CarTest 2000

CarTest 2000 is an automobile maximum acceleration computer simulation. The program uses the specifications for an automobile to mathematically accelerate the car from a standing or rolling start until maximum speed is reached. The simulation is time-based and event-driven. That is, the acceleration times are not explicitly calculated but, rather, time progresses at small increments and the usual events that take place during acceleration: clutch dump, wheelspin, shifting, etc. happen in proper course. The acceleration times are arbitrary milestones that are reached during the car's response to these events. Please click on the other tabs to lear more about the features of CarTest 2000.

CarTest 2000 is available either as an Application sent to you via email or CDROM which you can execute offline or through an on-line Applet which you access through this site by subscription. The Application is a traditional executable software program which resides on your hard disk that you may run whenever you want independent of this web site. The Applet runs on-line through your browser and an internet connection accessed through this site by a user name and password. The Applet will always be the latest version of the software as well as the latest database of cars. Both versions are otherwise identical in capabilities. Please click on the Order CarTest 2000 tab for a comparison table of advantages and rates.

CarTest 2000 is a Java program. You must have the latest version of the Java runtime environment installed on your computer. This is available as a free download from Sun Computer and is also included on the CarTest 2000 CDROM. The necessary browser plug-in installs as well for the Applet version and Applet demo. CarTest 2000 should run equally well on any computer that has the Java 2 Runtime Environment. That includes Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7, Linux, Solaris, etc. Apple Computer MAC users will need to do a self installation of the program since the automatic installation procedure has not been verified. The on-line version is a better solution for Apple Computer users with the very latest operating system who can verify operation by running the on-line demo.

The demo for CarTest 2000 is on-line configured as an Applet. The demo has a fixed database of only a few cars and unchangeable text fields. Otherwise it is full featured in terms of analyses conducted, production of plots, tables, etc. If your browser can properly run the demo you can run the full on-line version as well with no issues.

CarTest 2000 can display some interesting pastelized background images. These are photos taken from various car shows, museums, and concours events. These are not required for the program to run but they do enhance the look of the screens. The 400 images are contained in the CarTestBackgroundImages.jar file which should be placed in your c:\CarTest2000\ disk directory.

The database of cars is continuously maintained with data corrections and the addition of new vehicles. CarTest 2000 offline Application users can upgrade to the current entries in the distribution database (2558 cars) at any time through the online database update function in the software. A list of cars currently contained in the database can be viewed here.

Since Java is a multithreaded language, you can have things happening simultaneously all over the screen at the same time, limited only by available memory and processing power. You can also choose to resize windows, leave some windows up on the screen after computations are completed, and perform other tasks to perform comparisons. For example, CarTest 2000 has no limit on the number of cars that can compete in a drag race. All selected cars will appear in a scrollable window.

Recent enhancements include:

• An additional transmission type, Auto Manual, for electrohydraulically actuated manual transmissions.
• Improved Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) algorithms.
• A full-featured on-line version provides the user with always the latest features and database.
• The user may now update the database entries online from the master distribution database updated on the CarTest Software web server.
• Added the capability to analyze Combined Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid, and Electric Cars (or Series Hybrids).
• Added a Bonneville style Top Speed Run Simulation with the ability to add front and rear aerodynamic wings.
• Updated environmental and power corrections to SAE J1349 2004.
• Increased allowed distances for user defined acceleration goals.
• Algorithms for modeling a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) have been added.
• Added capability for the new 7-speed and 8-speed transmissions.
• Primary Transmission Reduction Ratios can be separated out and listed separately as a car-specific parameter.
• Custom horsepower curve values can be specified up to 20,000 RPM. You can also specify that curve as being at the driving wheels or at the flywheel. You can also specify measured maximum driving wheels power and torque without the entire curve if that is all the data you have. Custom power curve use between specified values can be evaluated using a cubic spline or linear interpolation.
• The Parameter Sensitivity function now can re-optimize the vehicle launch parameters for each individual step in that analysis.
• CarTest 2000 now reports 1/4 mile speed as the average speed over the 66 foot interval preceding the finish line. This is to be more in conformance with drag strip common practice.
• The Horsepower Finder function lets you specify a measured elapsed time and the program will find the required power and torque to produce that result.
• CarTest 2000 permits acceleration time-to-speed and time-to-distance milestones to be user-defineable. These are specified for both individual acceleration runs and for the Performance Comparison Analysis tests.
• The Parameter Sensitivity feature has an Optimum Gear Ratio Finder function. CarTest 2000 will determine a set of optimum gear ratios that produce the minimum time the specified acceleration trial.

Plot analysis functions permit you to analyze graphical data in great detail and with high precision. Most windows have a menu item for printing the information displayed in that frame.

The CarTest 2000 database includes data for thousands of foreign and domestic cars. Evaluate the performance of these cars using your choice of English or Metric units.

System Requirements: At least 32MB of memory is required to run CarTest 2000, more is recommended. Minimum screen resolution is 1024 x 768. The faster your processor the more satisfied you will be with CarTest 2000 performance.