During the first weekend of Automotive Week 2011, on 14 and 15 May, High Tech Automotive Systems (HTAS) and TNO are organising the Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge (GCDC), an event aimed at accelerating cooperative driving innovation. The main societal and economic goals are better traffic flow and safety, less environmental impact and more comfort in traffic.
|
TNO is using the GCDC to encourage innovative developments in the field of cooperative driving that can be used on all kinds of road vehicles. A particular feature of these vehicle systems is that all kinds of vehicles are connected and can communicate with each other and with roadside infrastructure through an open system. This challenge invites the world’s smartest brains to come up with the best solutions in open collaboration and to test them competitively. The battle between the eleven teams is being held in the realistic setting of the A270 highway between Eindhoven and Helmond. The teams are from Sweden, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, the United States, Canada and the Netherlands. Many of the teams are supported by manufacturers like Volvo, DAF, Fiat and Scania.
The challenge is an integral part of Automotive Week 2011. For TNO 16 and 17 May are also especially fascinating as these two days feature the eighth International Automotive Congress, with demos and exhibitions in the field of smart vehicles and mobility. The public will be able to find out about the SPITS project, which focuses on mobility and safety, and about the various experiments for which the A270 highway is occasionally closed to normal traffic. The challenge teams will also be presenting themselves and the public will be able to take a look at the vehicles, see demonstrations and put their questions about vehicle technology.
|
