Collaborating on safe, effective, clean mobility SMRC

Innovations in the field of autonomous, connected and electric driving have made our mobility significantly more effective, cleaner and safer. But real smart mobility that truly responds to our growing mobility needs and all societal mobility challenges requires a broader perspective. Therefore, priorities in government and R&D agendas worldwide are shifting towards the development of innovative mobility ecosystems. Vehicles are viewed in the context of their environment; not only for functional reasons, but also to analyse and optimize their societal impact.

Complex mobility scenarios

Governments and companies are faced with urban planning issues, investment dilemmas and complex mobility scenarios that can no longer be tested up front. Are we still going to replace digital signs, or can we already start investing in 'in-car' information systems? How do you ensure optimal information and safety if not all road users are ready for this new technology? And how do you warrant a safe and reliable mobility system in which all vehicles and their environment become fully dependent on each other, and continuously adapt through software updates and the use of AI? To successfully scale up smart mobility into practice, innovations must work at a system level in a smart mobility ecosystem.

Open innovation centre

New opportunities arise by connecting traditional automotive parties with the ICT sector, the traffic industry, and mobility agendas of national and regional governments. That is why TNO is collaborating with the Province of Noord-Brabant and the Municipality of Helmond to develop a dynamic and open innovation centre to work with industry and government partners on future-proof, scalable and smart mobility solutions. By sharing R&D in this smart mobility ecosystem we increase our knowledge and experience in the field of validation methodologies to develop safe, effective and sustainable mobility systems. This way we increase our earning capacity with smart mobility at a national level, and we ensure an optimal business climate at a regional level.

Innovative testing methods

The open innovation centre uses real-world data and scenarios in combination with digital twins and hardware-in-the-loop simulations. This allows us to test and research a great number of scenarios in a short period of time. Moreover, the simulation environments in which we perform virtual testing are becoming increasingly reliable, because they are fed with real-world data. This also allows you to research aspects that have not yet been tested in practice, such as up scaling effects, dangerous scenarios, or the consequences of AI algorithms. This reliable preparation method means implementations can take place safely, even at high complexity levels.

To ensure optimally clean, safe and effective mobility, the innovation centre focuses specifically on:

• Safety & security
• Effects (and application) of AI
• Effects of human behaviour
• Virtual testing in combination with real-world tests, -data and -scenarios