Australian CAV readiness: Integrating a data probe vehicle

This project seeks to provide access to the ARRB Future Transport Systems expert team to the integrated fitment of software and hardware of a new automated probe vehicle up to Level 4.

This will enable a step change in the capacity to understand, explore, and identify research opportunities for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) deployment in Australia.

Participants

• • • ARRB

Project background

Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) are the subject of much interest worldwide in terms of the possibilities for safe, connected, and efficient mobility and freight movements.

There are many areas of opportunity for CAVs in Australia and only limited progress to build the required knowledge base and expertise to develop acceptance protocols and criteria, use cases and to drive implementation. ARRB initiated the Australia and New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) in 2014, and since then we have led the coordination of efforts, international interactions and knowledge development to support CAVs in Australia.

This project seeks to build off ARRB initiatives in this area and to provide access to the ARRB Future Transport Systems (FTS) expert team to the integrated fitment of software and hardware of a new automated probe vehicle up to Level 4 (SAE-J3016), to enable a step change in our capacity to understand, explore and identify research opportunities for CAV deployment in Australia.

The first phase (PHASE 1) of this initiative, as described in this project agreement, involves:

• the research and setup of the necessary software and hardware requirements to integrate into a probe vehicle
• integration with equipment stack, perception software and integrate hardware as a test bed for Australia
• understanding integration issues and harmonisation of software and hardware
• research of appropriate vehicle for integration

Project objectives

The objective of this project is to establish a new automated probe vehicle as a test bed to enable applied research by the ARRB FTS team into deployment of CAVs in Australia.

Establishment of the ARRB automated probe vehicle would enable new initiatives seeking to understand the gaps in data and interactions of automated vehicles with infrastructure in an Australian context.

The probe vehicle would enable a holistic approach to data generation and provide an understanding of the gaps nationally. (Current application from other various trials are not holistic as it focuses on certain individual aspect only, such as communication (e.g. Telstra Lexus) or perception (e.g. QUT vehicle).

Some of the current gaps are:

• certification
• verification
• auditable reports
• National Independent Assessment
• compliance
• in-service and software update

The ARRB automated probe vehicle would be established as a standardised probe (automated) vehicle (up to Level 4) which would enable a benchmark for comparison with emerging CAV technologies going forward, integrating and the testing/benchmarking of technology (e.g. is the software tested capable of detecting glass bridges?)

Project completed

This project has been completed, and we will soon make the final report available.