AUDIT

The ongoing development of digitalization in transport infrastructure is an essential prerequisite for connected and automated driving. Automated vehicles will be an integral part of a system characterized by seamless interaction between vehicles and infrastructure. This will enable them to reduce accidents and significantly improve road safety and route capacity. Due to their specific conditions, tunnels pose a particular challenge that must be addressed from both a vehicle and infrastructure perspective. In addition, tunnels themselves are subject to special safety requirements due to specific risks for users.

Existing projects and systems for automated driving focus primarily on vehicle-based sensor systems such as radar, LiDAR, ultrasound, or cameras. On the one hand, the requirements and possible applications of these systems need to be further specified; on the other hand, there is also a strong focus on C-ITS, a technology that enables continuous bidirectional data exchange between the infrastructure and vehicles. In the event of an incident, this allows all necessary information and instructions for connected automated vehicles in the tunnel to be transmitted, even taking into account mixed operation with conventional vehicles.
Reliable, accurate positioning and localization of vehicles makes a significant contribution to automated driving. However, due to the lack of GNSS signal coverage in tunnels, this is not easily achieved. Various positioning approaches are therefore being identified and analyzed for practical application in road tunnels. The use of radio channel systems leads to problems such as diffuse and specular reflections on surfaces and signal interference, which are being investigated for specific use in tunnels and solutions developed.
 

The safety implications are assessed using risk analysis methods, depending on the degree of automation, known as SAE levels, and taking into account mixed traffic between conventional, connected, and automated vehicles. In addition to the immediate consequences for the safety of tunnel users, the impact on tunnel operation, both in normal and emergency situations, is also analyzed from the perspective of the tunnel operator.
Based on selected technological solutions that have proven particularly promising in terms of supporting automated driving in the course of the project, feasibility studies are being conducted in the form of field tests in real tunnel structures. Based on this, system and sensor evaluations are used to derive recommendations for the implementation of any vehicle and infrastructure requirements, also taking cost-benefit aspects into account.