Firmware Updates

 Occasionally, Racelogic releases new versions of firmware (internal code) for the VBOX 3i products. This is often to introduce new features or useful updates and fixes.

To upload new firmware to the VBOX 3i, you only need to use a CF card and the upgrade file.

You can download the latest upgrade file from the VBOX Automotive website.

Note: This is not the latest firmware version.

This version of VB3i firmware requires that VBOX Tools and VBOX Manager be updated to maintain compatibility:

• VBOX Tools version 2.17 b477.
• VBFMAN version 2.55 b2827. NOT compatible with VBOXIII!
   

The ADAS CAN output of VB3i has been modified such that a new .dbc file will be required for:

• Single/Multi-Target.
• Vehico robot mode.
  
  These can be downloaded here.

• New Lng Range Ref Channel
  Complementing the existing LatRref_tg1 channel, the addition of LongRref_tg1 now means that VBOX computes Longitudinal and Lateral ranges with respect to a user-configured heading (usually the test track bearing).
   

• Modification to ‘Enter Points’ function
  VBOX Manager now provides the option to choose between having one or two contact points active in ADAS mode rather than having two points listed by default.

• Enabling ‘Vehico’ mode
  Auto-configuration of the Vehico mode is now selectable rather than being performed by default.

• New leap second
  On the 31st of December 2016, a new leap second was added to GPS time and has been incorporated within this firmware release. The current UTC time offset now sits at 18 seconds.

• Translated Slip Angle channels are automatically clamped to zero when True Heading drops out.
• Quantisation noise on the ‘Accel_tg1’ ADAS channel has been removed.

Now supports Multi Static ADAS Mode.

Vehico Robot Mode heading adjusted to provide accurate vehicle heading.

An issue with Kalman Filter positional drift in Stand Alone mode was addressed.

An issue with True Heading 2 sometimes incorrectly accumulating when True Heading dropped out was addressed.

​Note: This is not the latest firmware version.

The latest firmware upgrade file for the VBOX 3i is available from the VBOX Automotive website. Instructions on how to complete the upgrade are available here.

To fully configure a VB3i running this firmware, VBOX Setup version 2.1.21.546 is needed.

Mode added.

• DIFF LED behaviour change.
• PWR LED behaviour change.

• Added Longitudinal and Lateral jerk channels.
• IMU angle offsets no-longer cleared on software connection.

Slip angle calculation stability improvements.

• Issue with Kalman Filter positional drift in Stand Alone mode addressed.
• Issue with held speed observed around poor GPS conditions addressed.
• Issue with implausible speed values observed around poor GPS conditions addressed.
• Issue with erroneous behaviour possible with large IMU to antenna offsets addressed.
• Improved initialisation stability.
• Improvements for IMU03 Kalman filter stability performance.

Fix to the header file for the Static point reference lane.

• DGPS solution type added.
• Kalman Filter status moved.

20 Hz RS232 brake test data calculation fixed.

 Note: This is not the latest firmware version.

This version of the VBOX 3i firmware includes some significant changes and brings additional functionality to the unit itself, the Setup Software and VBOX Manager. The latest software and VBOX Manager versions should be used in conjunction with this firmware release to allow full use of the latest features.
 

• Download the latest VBOX 3i, and VBOX Manager firmware and ensure the Setup Software is up to date.
• Instructions on how to upgrade the firmware can be found here.
   

Many of the changes have been made as a direct result of customer feedback requesting new features. Some changes have been made to fix bugs and other issues found during testing.

Racelogic strongly recommends that all users upgrade to the latest firmware release compatible with their device so that they can take advantage of the new features and benefit from the improved stability.

This version of VBOX 3i firmware requires that VBOX Setup and VBOX Manager be updated to maintain compatibility, the minimum versions required are as follows:

• VBOX Setup version 3.0.2.571.
• VBOX Manager version 3.0 b2186. NOT compatible with VBOX III!

The layout of the VBOX Manager has also been revamped and improved, simplifying the menu structure and making the current settings more visible. The new layout can be seen within the VBOX Manager User Guide.

• New RobotHead channel.
• New SlipHead channel.

• Updates to CAN Output (current CAN Output available here).
• New L2 Support for OEM GPS engines (V3/4).
• Robot mode ABD Path Follow now supports Single Antenna.
• Long Acc CAN Threshold has been removed.

• Issues when connecting to VBOX Test Suite/ VBOX Setup addressed.
• Issue with PWR LED showing Red after boot up addressed.
• Issue with UTC time approaching midnight addressed.
• Issue with Slip Angle computation fixed.
• Issue with 'ERROR_3' message appearing when attempting to save a lane within ADAS Lane Departure mode addressed.
• Issue with Vehico heading frame addressed.

Compatible products: 

• VBOX 3i RTK (v5)
• VBOX 3i Dual Antenna (v5)
• VBOX Single Antenna (v5)
• VBOX 3i ADAS

NEW FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY

• Added trigger event time when stationary

BUG FIXES

• Fix for Local Co-ordinate position frame when in VEHICO robot mode.

Compatible products: 

• VBOX 3i RTK (v5)
• VBOX 3i Dual Antenna (v5)
• VBOX Single Antenna (v5)
• VBOX 3i ADAS

BUG FIXES

• Fixed an issue where IMU pitch and roll angle calibration could reset the Kalman Filter.

Compatible products: 

• VBOX 3i ADAS

NEW FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY

• Added support for IMU05 and IMU05-S.
• Improved firmware and VBOX Setup performance.
• Added functionality for custom filenames of .VBB files that logged to the CF card.
• True Heading alignment can now be performed at a user-defined minimum speed.
• Added the ability to use an external IMU when using VIPS.
• Added the ability for ADAS units to calculate slip angle data.
• Kalman Filter – Improvements for IMU04/IMU05/IMU05S Kalman filter stability performance.

BUG FIXES

• Fix for 3-Target ADAS Road line data CAN output.
• Fix for ABD robot mode to use configured co-ordinate frame.
• Fixed issue with synchronisation of audio event time.

Compatible products: 

• VBOX 3i RTK (v5)
• VBOX 3i Dual Antenna (v5)
• VBOX Single Antenna (v5)

NEW FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY

• Improved ADAS functionality.
  • VBOX 3i units can now measure ADAS parameters to a range of objects simultaneously, allowing for more complex and varied test scenarios.
    You can now measure:
    • Up to 5 targets made up of a maximum of 3 Moving Targets and 3 Static Targets.
    • Up to 3 road lines.
    • Up to 99 sign posts.
  • Target vehicle distances to line edges are now available to be viewed live in the Subject Vehicle.
  • The current Line Curvature is now calculated by the VBOX and has been added to the logged channel list as well as to the CAN output.
  • X/Y/Z position of both the subject and Target vehicle are available as a logged channel as well as on the CAN output.
  • The ADAS configuration can now be loaded in the target vehicle via either a Radio link or a CF card.
• Improved Kalman Filter.
  • New routines added that improve attitude performance when stationary.
  • "Initialise only when moving" mode has been added to prevent early initialisation of the Kalman filter caused by erroneous movement of the antenna, such as when the rider of a motorcycle shifts their body position, or on marine vehicles that cannot remain stationary.
• Improved user experience.
  • All standard VBOX Channels are now set to be logged automatically. Previous versions of VBOX Firmware required the user to select which channels they wished to log, and the VBOX was not able to log every available channel. Firmware version 3 now logs all available channels, ensuring that the user has all the data they need to successfully analyse their test.
  • Channels can be enabled for live view directly from VBOX Test Suite. Previous versions required the user to enter VBOX Setup to set which channels they would like to view live over serial. This process has now been improved by allowing VBOX Test Suite to enable/disable channels on the VBOX 3i unit's serial bus based on what data is currently being viewed or used in a test.
  • Dual antenna level and alignment can now be performed within VBOX Setup, removing the need to do this via the VBOX File Manager.
    • You can now adjust the minimum speed at which the Dual antenna alignment occurs to cater for vehicles that cannot accelerate to the previously required 25 km/h.
  • IMU gyro and angle offset calibrations can now be performed within VBOX Setup, removing the need to do this via the VBOX File Manager.
• New File Format. Due to the increase in the number of channels that can be logged by the VBOX 3i unit, Racelogic has replaced the .vbo file format with a new binary .vbb file. This file format is more space efficient and allows more data to be written and stored on the CF card than the previous text-based .vbo format.
• IMU05 and IMU05-S support has been added, ready for the release of Racelogic's next generation of IMUs.
• Added support for new CAN Hub firmware (2.0.7) that allows data capture from two isolated CAN bus inputs.
• Removed Kalman filter support for IMU03 units. IMU03 units can still be used for x/y/z acceleration and pitch/roll/yaw rate measurements.
• Improved VIPS Support.
  • The VBOX 3i units now have extra VIPS functions that allow the user to perform ADAS tests whilst under VIPS as well as the ability to use an IMU that is separate from the VIPS Rover. Contact vbox@Racelogic.co.uk for more information.
• New Acceleration channels that have had a 5 sample window smoothing routine have been added to the CAN bus on ID317 and ID318.
• Added ability for VBOX Setup to change logged filename and active file directory.
• Replaced ‘CANVEL’ feature with a direct CAN wheel speed configuration; nominated CAN wheel speed channels are used to ‘fill in’ speed during occurrences of complete satellite dropout. Only applicable when IMU integration is disabled.

Note: ​This is not the latest firmware version.

This version of the VBOX 3i firmware includes some significant changes and brings additional functionality to the unit itself, the Setup Software and VBOX Manager. The latest software and VBOX Manager versions should be used in conjunction with this firmware release to allow full use of the latest features.
 

• Download the latest VBOX 3i, and VBOX Manager firmware and ensure the Setup Software is up to date.
• Instructions on how to upgrade the firmware can be found here.
   

Many of the changes have been made as a direct result of customer feedback requesting new features. Some changes have been made to fix bugs and other issues found during testing.

Racelogic strongly recommend that all users upgrade to the latest firmware release to take advantage of the new features and benefit from the improved stability.
 

IMPORTANT - This firmware is for VB3i V3-V5 hardware only!

This version of VB3i firmware requires that VBOX Setup and VBOX Manager be updated to maintain compatibility, the minimum versions required are as follows:

• VBOX Setup version 3.1.3.629.
• VBOX Manager version 3.0 b2317. 

• It is now possible for Wheel Speeds to be used with IMU integration, more information on this is available here.
• New VIPS support.
• Simultaneous output of x and y and Global coordinates.
• New Error Warning for unsupported hardware.
• Option to clamp the KF position and robot heading to return to 2 mm a sample.
• L2 support with B210 GPS engines.
• Robot compatibility updated, more information on this is available here.
• ADAS calculations updated, more information on this is available here.

• New CAN ID 0x329 - X Position and Y Position channels.
• New CAN ID 32A - RobotHead Vehico, Speed Vehico, Position Quality Vehico and Solution Type Vehico channels.
• New Dual Antenna Mode and Motion Pack Type Number channels.
• Current CAN Output available here.

• IMU/reference offsets to GPS antenna issues addressed.
• Coldstarting no longer resets the GPS engine baud rate.
• CAN no longer stops after a B110 engine is coldstarted.
• Addressed Synchronisation issues.
• Dynamic mode now retained after power cycle.

The layout of VBOX Setup has also been revamped and improved, simplifying the menu structure and making the current settings more visible. The new layout can be seen within the VBOX Setup User Guide.

The new version of VBOX Setup provides the ability to configure Wheel speed inputs, more information on this is available here.
 

• New IMU Robot blend option, more information on this is available here.
• New warning message to allow IMU to sync before entering setup.
• VCI dbc export issues resolved.
• KF offset wording change, reference point translation now measured from IMU instead of antenna.

• Added compatibility with VB3i Firmware Version 2.7.
• KF offset wording change, reference point translation now measured from IMU instead of antenna.
• Ability to enable Wheel Speed input and set offset to reference point, more information on this is available here.