The University of Alabama has been awarded a $3 million grant to develop advanced driver assistance systems for use on CrimsonRide campus buses. Thanks to the funding — provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation — experts from various university departments will now be able to develop automated bus safety features that are currently only available in passenger vehicles. Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian, executive director at the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies, will head the project in partnership with Perrone Robotics, Inc., a top provider of fully-autonomous vehicle systems.
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Advanced driver assist functions
The project sets out to develop, test, and implement four main driver assist functions into the University of Alabama’s CrimsonRide buses, namely: “smooth acceleration and deceleration for fuel economy; pedestrian detection and emergency braking to avoid or mitigate pedestrian collisions; precision docking; and assisted driving in narrow roads”, according to UA News. Testing and development will first take place in a lab via virtual simulations that are linked up to Perrone Robotics’ MAX software platform. Once ready, the technology will then be installed onto buses and tested in controlled road conditions with simulated pedestrians. Only when the buses have been found to meet safety standards will they be rolled-out on campus routes.
Notably, the buses will be outfitted with both level one and level two automation features. Level one means the vehicle has basic autonomous functions like steering assist or brake assist, but the driver remains in control of the driving at all times. Level two vehicles, conversely, are able to steer, brake, and accelerate for the driver — but the driver does still need to be behind the wheel overseeing the process and ready to take charge when needed. Transit docking, on the other hand, is a fully-automated feature (level four), which won’t be integrated into the CrimsonRide buses. This feature would mean the vehicle is able to automatically park in a precise location.
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Big data is making driving safer
The automated system will use big data generation and analysis to communicate in real-time with city infrastructure on roads and at intersections. When the bus is connected in this way, it receives current updates on road conditions to improve safety and prevent accidents. Fuel efficiency also increases as aggressive acceleration and sudden stops are more easily avoided.
In fact, big data is already transforming the wider transport sector, and particularly the auto transport industry responsible for car shipping. In the U.S., it takes approximately seven to ten days for cars to be shipped domestically, and big data is playing a central role in optimizing this process. “Data can allow the prediction of estimated arrival times of shipment and can automate the schedule and dispatch of land vehicles”, explains Gabriel Valmonte, Senior Marketing Manager at Monster Lab. “Enriching data with information on route traffic situations and weather can further improve the efficiency and accuracy of scheduling”. Indeed, when vehicles can communicate with infrastructure and other vehicles, time and money is naturally saved, while accidents and injuries can also be better prevented.
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Reducing cognitive load
The autonomous technology developed by Dr. Balasubramanian and team also aims to reduce the driver’s cognitive load. Although the driver will need to monitor the technology (which involves comprehensive training), the system itself will take over key responsibilities to improve safety. “If [a bus driver] misses a pedestrian crossing the road or someone crossing the road suddenly from behind a parked vehicle the system will pick it up and it will pick it up much faster than [the driver]”, said Dr. Balasubramanian. “It will apply the brakes much faster than you. It is supporting you”.
Although Dr. Balasubramanian didn’t give an exact timeframe for when the autonomous system is pegged for completion, he did say he thinks expects the technology to someday enter the market, but it would take years of testing before it’s ready to do so. “We have a unique partnership here, with researchers working hand in hand with the transit division”, Dr. Balasubramanian said. “Among other advantages, this allows us to safely deploy the autonomous vehicle technology we jointly develop into real-world use”.
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