At Automotive Testing Expo 2006 Europe, the MTS Systems Corporation (www.mts.com) presented a proof-of-concept test rig for mechatronic development and validation (MDV). The MDV test rig is a joint development by MTS and dSPACE (www.dspace.de), which combines active MTS suspension with a real-time simulator from dSPACE; this makes it possible to carry out realistic and repeatable test maneuvers for the description and measurement of vehicle dynamics applications. Moving the section tests into the test laboratory produces time and cost savings, which can be invested in greater and more diverse test scenarios. MDV test rigs from MTS can be used in all development and validation phases of the vehicle development process, e.g., in the fields of system identification, algorithm development and control device applications.