CAV trials in London a significant milestone for the UK CAV sector
Following the recent announcement by FiveAI, confirming supervised trials of the firm’s automated vehicles will commence this month on public roads in London, TRL explains the carefully selected routes represent one of the most complex urban environments ever used for CAV testing.
Working alongside FiveAI and other consortium partners, as part of the StreetWise Project, TRL believes that the safety case development behind the trials has the potential to improve safety for future CAV initiatives.
The global centre for innovation in transport and mobility also asserts that the project’s industry-first, virtual validation methodology for CAV testing, developed by TRL, will provide the blueprint for new CAV safety standards and certification.
This is a significant milestone not only for TRL but for the entire CAV sector in the UK and beyond, as David Hynd, Chief Scientist for TRL, explains: “Automated vehicles represent the future of transport and have the potential to deliver tangible, wide-reaching benefits in relation to reduced congestion, faster and cheaper commutes, fewer collisions and cleaner air.
“With a recent report highlighting the UK is the world’s number one location for mass-market potential for CAV, with a £62bn annual economic opportunity by 2030, it is vital that the need to ensure safety does not stand in the way of success.
“We’re very excited about entering this phase of the project, as testing on public roads in real-world environments is an essential stage in the development of automated driving systems.
“The test routes in the London Boroughs of Croydon and Bromley represent some of the most complex urban environments ever used for CAV trials. The sophisticated safety case that underpins testing on public roads and makes insurance possible, will be used to shape and assure safety for future CAV initiatives. Likewise, the corresponding virtual validation methodology we’ve created for StreetWise vehicles, which marks an industry first, will form the template for CAV safety standards and certification on a global scale.”
