In the automotive testing technology industry, progress is increasingly defined by software, automation, and the ability to recreate real vehicle behavior in controlled laboratory environments. Among the innovations shortlisted for the 2026 Automotive Testing Technology International Awards is the LABA7 Free-Fall Test on the Electromagnetic Damper Test System, a software-driven advancement designed to reveal one of the most critical moments in suspension performance: how a spring-damper assembly returns naturally under its own spring force.
At the heart of this shortlisted innovation is a simple but powerful question. What happens when a compressed suspension assembly is allowed to rebound naturally, without being forced through a predefined motion profile? Conventional suspension dynos typically follow controlled displacement inputs, which are valuable for repeatable testing but limited when engineers need to observe organic rebound behavior. In real vehicles, spring force and rebound damping interact dynamically, influencing wheel contact, stability, grip, and the way a vehicle responds after a curb strike, landing, road depression, or rapid unloading event.
LABA7’s Free-Fall Test was developed to make this interaction visible, measurable, and repeatable. Using the EMA’s advanced software control, the system compresses the spring-damper assembly and then instantly disengages the motor. With the mechanical drive removed from the equation, the assembly is allowed to return under its own spring force while the damper hydraulics control the rebound. The result is a true organic return curve that gives engineers a clearer view of how the suspension behaves when it is no longer being driven by the test machine, but by the physical forces inside the assembly itself.
This is where the LABA7 EMA platform demonstrates the value of software-defined test hardware. Instead of requiring new machinery, additional installation work, or complex mechanical upgrades, Free-Fall Testing was delivered to existing EMA customers through remote firmware and software updates. This approach expands the capability of equipment already in the field, reducing the need for new manufacturing, shipping, and on-site intervention while giving engineers immediate access to a new simulation method.
The real-world significance of Free-Fall Testing is already clear. Originally developed at the request of Samsonas Motorsport, the feature has received strongly positive feedback for showing dynamic behaviors that were previously difficult to capture with conventional dyno methods. By revealing how spring force, rebound damping, and full assembly behavior interact during natural return, it gives engineers a practical tool for faster setup decisions, better validation, and more informed development before the vehicle reaches the road, stage, or track.
The 2026 ATTI Awards arrive at a time when automotive testing is rapidly maturing toward smarter, more integrated, and less siloed validation processes. With categories spanning Testing Software Innovation, Testing Hardware Innovation, Simulation Innovation, Facility of the Year, and Supplier of the Year, this year’s shortlist reflects a sector increasingly shaped by automation, software-based testing, virtual analysis, and practical tools that improve development efficiency. Within this context, LABA7’s Free-Fall Test stands out as a software innovation that turns existing electromagnetic test hardware into a more capable simulation platform.
As the countdown begins to Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2026, the industry now looks toward the ATTI Awards ceremony on June 24 at Messe Stuttgart, Germany. Taking place during Vehicle Tech Week Europe, the awards will bring together engineers, suppliers, and technology leaders to recognize the solutions shaping the future of automotive testing. For LABA7, the shortlisting of Free-Fall Testing marks another step in its evolution from suspension testing equipment manufacturer to a broader force in software-defined vehicle dynamics testing.
In an industry where development cycles are shorter, vehicle systems are more complex, and every test must deliver clearer insight, innovations like the LABA7 Free-Fall Test point toward a more efficient future. By transforming a real suspension event into a controlled, repeatable, and remotely deployable test method, LABA7 continues to show how intelligent software can unlock new value from advanced hardware and bring more realistic vehicle behavior into the lab.
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