10 Jan When cars talk to cars
Michael Loibner published a report on Smart Streets in “diePresse” on 22 September 2022, for which he spoke with ATTC CEO Jacqueline Erhart (ASFINAG), among others.
“Die Presse” from 22/09/2022 Page: 15 Department: Report By: Michael Loibner Austria, Tomorrow
Smart streets. Sensor technologies, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are set to make traffic safer and more environmentally friendly. Austria is in pole position.
by Michael Loibner
Fewer accidents, less congestion, fewer pollutant emissions – these are the goals when it comes to optimising road traffic. The concept of the “intelligent road” is intended to contribute to this: cars that communicate with each other and with their surroundings and in this way get from A to B safely, smoothly and in an environmentally friendly manner. What may sound like a utopian dream may not be so far away. Harmonised research efforts are underway across Europe to make “smart streets” a reality. And Austria is playing an important role in this endeavour.
Coordination by Austria
The international “Cooperative Intelligent Roads” project, which aims to create standards and services for automated transport, is being coordinated by Austria. As in other countries, parts of the automotive industry as well as research institutions, road operators and public organisations have joined forces to promote and implement the technologies that enable communication between digital road infrastructure and vehicles. The Austrian Traffic Telematics Cluster (ATTC), which brings together 28 companies from business and industry, sees itself as a cross-industry bundler of expertise. Jacqueline Erhart, Team Leader for Cooperative, Connected and Automated Driving and Digital Infrastructure at cluster lead Asfinag, reveals: “Austria will be the first country in Europe to equip all of its motorways with the necessary technology to enable automated and connected mobility.” The route between Vienna and Salzburg is to be fully upgraded by the end of the year and the entire network by 2025.
What will turn the motorways into “intelligent roads”? “We’ll make them talk to the cars. There will be precise traffic information, for example about roadworks or approaching emergency vehicles, but only those drivers who are affected by the information will receive it,” explains Erhart. Wifi boxes will be installed on average every four kilometres. The information is fed into the vehicle’s control menu in real time. The next step is to equip the road infrastructure with the latest sensor technology “and thus expand the vehicle’s field of vision.” A test track is currently being set up near Graz. Erhart: “The information provided by the infrastructure can support the assistance systems of the vehicles and thus also autonomous driving.” The “Smart, Safe and Green Mobility Initiative”, led by the Lower Austrian street lighting and traffic light manufacturer Fontasch, has developed “smart street poles” that can be expanded with such sensors, among other things. “The installation of innovative technology turns a normal pole into a self-sufficient, intelligent product,” says company owner Marie-Luise Fontasch. Test roads in Melk have shown that this works.
For the smart street concept to be realisable, however, it requires not only intelligent infrastructure, but also appropriate technology in the cars. Kay Römer, Head of the Institute of Computer Engineering at TU Graz: “The big challenge is to develop a technology that is one hundred per cent reliable. For connected driving to function smoothly, the communication between vehicles and devices from different manufacturers must be harmonised, among other things. And when it comes to positioning, for example, this must be done with centimetre precision.”
Driving in “convoy”
A method was developed at the TU that does not see reflections during radio transmission as a source of interference, but uses them to precisely calculate the location of a vehicle. This is a prerequisite for “automated convoy driving”, which was tested by Römer and his team in model tests and could be used for cars in slow-moving traffic. To enable cars to follow each other automatically at close distances without causing accidents, each vehicle uses sensors to track the car in front and communicate with it. “The short distance, which would not be possible with a human at the wheel, reduces air resistance and, as a result, fuel consumption,” says Römer.
In addition, numerous “intelligent road” projects are currently underway at other research institutions. “Thanks to its innovative strength and expertise, Austria is at the forefront internationally,” says Erhart.