Vehicle Control Supervisor software for electric tractor fleet
Challenge
In response to increased demand from their clients, a leading manufacturer of cargo handling equipment sought to develop an electric-powered tractor optimised for port operations.
The manufacturer’s preference was for a modular battery and charging system that could be tailored for different operational environments across the world.
A vital component would be the onboard Vehicle Control Supervisor (VCU) software to manage a range of functions, including energy efficiency, safety protocols and operational performance.
As well as meeting the highest safety benchmarks, including ISO 26262, the globally recognised functional safety certification, the VCU was required to be production-ready within 24 months and free from licensing limitations or vendor lock-in.
Approach
To deliver a product that met the full extent of customisation required by the client, Ricardo's engineers were directly embedded into the client’s own engineering teams in the U.S. and other global sites. Furthermore, by using our existing VCU platform as the product's foundation, the team were able to reduce the typical amount of time devoted to early development stages, ensuring more resources were devoted to bespoke functionality.
A new feature developed for this assignment, for example, was a Mass & Gradient Estimation algorithm – a feature designed to optimise regenerative braking based on load and terrain conditions. A One-Pedal Drive capability was also introduced, allowing for smoother operations within busy freight terminal environments.
The Ricardo team also oversaw the hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testing and on-vehicle calibration, whilst our independent Functional Safety Assessment experts tracked the development process to ensure ISO 26262 compliance.
Knowledge transfer was another important element of the project, with our teams providing training and guidance during each development stage so that by the time that first vehicle was production-ready the client’s in-house engineering team were confident about taking over the reins.
Results
The final product result wasn’t simply a working control system; it was a mature, scalable, thoroughly validated VCU that the client could fully understand, own and adapt. Our white-box software approach ensured that every component was delivered with complete transparency, including Simulink models and full documentation.
In April 2025, the client successfully achieved Start of Production for the new electric tractor. By utilising our support, they reduced long-term development costs by 40%, gained total control of their royalty-free VCU software platform, and built the internal knowledge to maintain a competitive edge far into the future.