In the large-scale European research project "AWARD", automated transport vehicles for logistics applications are to be made all-weather capable and thus more widely usable. The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is part of the 29-partner consortium and, with its extensive knowledge in the field of automated driving, it is contributing to identifying user requirements and designing a human-machine interface for the fleet management of automated vehicles.
Connected and automated driving systems for commercial vehicles have a great potential. They can improve safety and efficiency of freight transport and make logistics operations more competitive. Significant progress has been made in the field of autonomous truck driving with numerous prototypes. However, there is still a gap to fill in order to ensure the uptake of this breakthrough technology and the future advent of an overall autonomous logistic chain. The current inabilities autonomous heavy-duty vehicles to work with the right safety and functional level for 24/7 availability (e.g. harsh weather conditions) hinder their deployment, along with the lack of a harmonized regulatory framework. The project received a funding grant of nearly €20 million by the European Commission under the programme Horizon 2020 to develop and demonstrate driverless heavy-duty vehicles in harsh weather conditions for real-logistics operations.
Within the framework of the project, AIT is responsible for investigating user needs. Supported by Europe-wide co-creation workshops and a survey with 2,000 people, application scenarios and functional requirements are identified and passed on to the implementing partners for the further course of the project. In addition, the AIT (Center for Energy and Center for Technology Experience) will develop a comprehensive technical fleet management system with optimisation models and a configurable user interface for the efficient use of automated vehicles in logistics applications.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101006817.
Further informations:
AIT-Contact: Peter Fröhlich