A Modular, Low-Latency Testbed for Autonomous and Assisted Driving: Integrating SIL, VIL, and PIL Configurations

The rapid technological evolution in the automotive sector demands increasingly advanced testing platforms capable of integrating high-fidelity virtual simulations with real hardware components. In this work, we present a modular platform capable of operating in Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), Vehicle-in-the-Loop (VIL), and Passenger-in-the-Loop (PIL) configurations. The proposed solution combines photorealistic rendering using Unreal Engine 5, real-time processing via SpeedGoat and MATLAB/Simulink, advanced tracking systems (Vicon, IMU, GNSS RTK), and a Dynamic Traffic Behaviour Manager for autonomous management of heterogeneous traffic scenarios. The platform is designed to simulate complex urban environments while ensuring low latencies (average below 24 ms) and minimizing motion sickness risk - key aspects for validating autonomous and assisted driving systems. Preliminary results highlight the correct integration of the various modules, demonstrating the system's ability to manage real-time interactions between vehicles, pedestrians, and virtual scenarios. These developments provide a valuable tool for optimizing and validating control algorithms, paving the way for safer, more reliable, and immersive testing.