Platform One

Easier driver takeover

Researchers at the EPFL in Switzerland have developed algorithms to allow people to take over control of driverless cars more easily. The team has used haptic shared control on the steering wheel to create a different way for the vehicle to interact with the driver.

Platform One

Ray-tracing sensor tests

Simulation firm rFpro has used ray tracing to develop software that can accurately reproduce environments to test sensors in autonomous vehicles. he company develops high-fidelity software for driver-in-the-loop (DIL) simulators, and 6 years ago started extending its technology to testing driverless cars.

Platform One

Green light for bus trial

An electric driverless bus is set to start operating on the city streets of Dunfermline, Scotland. The CAVForth 2 project will use the CAVstar Automated Driving System, which combines sensor fusion for cameras, Lidar and radar with a machine learning system. It was developed by Fusion Processing in Bristol, England.

Platform One

UAV is a heavy lifter

Flowcopter, in Edinburgh, Scotland, is developing a UAV that can carry up to 160 kg. The 500 kg UAV uses Digital Displacement transmission technology that is much lighter, more robust and less costly than an equivalent electric transmission.

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Level 4 shuttle unveiled

Vehicle systems supplier ZF has developed an autonomous shuttle for SAE Level 4 operation. The shuttle was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in the US in January, and is designed for autonomous driving in urban environments and mixed traffic, rather than segregated lanes.

Platform One

Fog-proof coating

An optical coating that combines anti-fogging and anti-reflective properties to boost the performance of Lidar systems and image sensors has been unveiled.

Platform One

White light for traffic?

Researchers in the US are proposing adding a fourth light to traffic lights for driverless cars. The idea, from transportation engineers at North Carolina State University, is that a ‘white light’ would enable autonomous vehicles to help control traffic flow, and let human drivers know what’s going on.

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Through the grapevine

An autonomous system for spraying grapevines is rolling out in the champagne and wine regions of France. The YV01 smart vineyard robot was developed by Yanmar with wine makers and the CIVC, the organisation that manages the production, distribution and promotion of champagne.

Platform One

Solid-state Lidars boost

Researchers in Japan have developed a new type of laser diode that can boost the performance of solid-state Lidar sensors. Photonic-Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers (PCSELs) are built from two different types of materials with a large refractive index contrast, such as air and semiconductors.

Platform One

Real-world test model

AB Dynamics (ABD) has developed a pedestrian modelling system to improve the effectiveness of sensors in autonomous vehicles. ABD worked with Dynamic Research on the ‘Soft Pedestrian 360’ system to support tests for improved sensor perception and categorisation.