Flanders starts tests with vehicles that operate teleoperated or autonomously

The introduction of autonomous driving in Flanders will happen gradually and in different ways. Telecontrolled driving could be a stepping stone to fully autonomous driving. Or it could even become a separate permanent feature. The combination of telecontrolled and autonomous driving combines the advantages of human control with those of artificial intelligence within demarcated areas and known circumstances.

A good example is trucks that drive autonomously on specific routes (corridors) during off-peak hours. Here, an operator takes over the wheel remotely in the pre and post-tracks or in unforeseen traffic conditions. This could provide an answer to the growth of the transport sector, the severe shortage of drivers and persistent congestion problems.Companies offering shared cars in Flanders are also looking for technological solutions to practical problems. Efficiently moving shared cars to locations where they are needed the next day could be done remotely. At least, if an appropriate legal framework for this is developed.

The Flemish government aims to carry out sufficient tests with remote-controlled or autonomous driving vehicles. This is necessary before they are allowed to drive on public roads among other road users. Therefore, the Agency for Roads and Traffic and the Department of Mobility and Public Works, in collaboration with research centre imec, are launching a test period on a closed circuit. This should shed light on both the possibilities and limitations of remotely operated and self-driving vehicles.

During the test period, the focus will initially be on evaluating the latest camera, radar and lidar technologies. Reaction times to dangerous situations will be tested by the researchers at different speeds and conditions. In case of positive results on the closed course, participants will be allowed test drives on public roads. Those tests are expected to follow in the autumn.The Flemish Agency for Innovation & Enterprise (VLAIO) is providing the financial support.

For Mobilidata, this is a new step. In recent years, the Mobilidata programme has already introduced connected traffic and digital traffic management in Flanders. The results are personalised traffic alerts and the roll-out of some 250 connected traffic lights across Flanders. These respond flexibly to current traffic conditions.Mobilidata's data sources are now being systematically integrated into the remotely controlled or autonomous driving process. For instance, researchers will see whether the vehicles respond adequately to notifications about sudden dangerous situations, such as an accident or loss of load on the road.

A test on public roads will follow this autumn after the circuit test. This will test the connection between connected traffic lights and self-driving or remote-controlled vehicles. Those traffic lights will remotely inform the vehicles about the remaining time to green light, allowing the vehicles to adjust their speed.If the integration of different technologies leads to a significant improvement in road safety in telecontrolled and autonomous driving, it could be a breakthrough. Consider a breakthrough for wider acceptance of autonomous transport or teleoperated driving, including applying this mode of operation to share vehicles.

"After previous initiatives such as the 5G Blueprint project, this research is a new step. It is in line with our long-term vision to develop innovative mobility solutions. The aim is not only to improve road safety and optimise traffic flow, but also to stimulate economic growth and contribute to an improved quality of life. For the same reason, last year I also set up the Flemish Taskforce Autonomous Transport. In it, we bring together experts from industry, academia and government and ensure that we are ready to roll out autonomous technology here on a large scale via adapted legislation once it is ready. That way, Flanders will lead the European lead in autonomous mobility and we will also ensure an economic return," says the Flemish minister of Mobility and Public Works.

"With this initiative, Flanders is showing itself to be a pioneer in the search for innovative answers to complex mobility issues. We can aspire to become the California of Europe in terms of autonomous driving. We are providing tomorrow's smart solutions for the benefit of the Flemish economy and prosperity," said the Flemish minister of Economy and Innovation.

"With imec, we want to contribute to the future of mobility by helping to pave the way for a safe introduction of autonomous and telecontrolled driving in Flanders. One of the first promising business cases can be found in logistics, in remotely controlled trucks and shared cars. For this, various communication, data and sensor technologies need to be brought together, tested and validated. Fully autonomous driving vehicles still have quite a few obstacles to overcome, but this test is an important first step. Imec is developing sensor technology for this, but is also committed to testing this technology in realistic conditions," says Steven Latré, head of AI at imec.

Source: imec
Image by wal_172619 via Pixabay

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