WMG secures £4.2m for unique new automotive simulator
ONE of the world’s most adaptable and advanced driving simulators is set to be based at the University of Warwick after the institution secured £4.2m in funding.
Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) has been awarded £3.2m by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) towards the cost of the simulator, which has already attracted £1m of industry funding.
WMG will be collaborating with industry names such as Jaguar Land Rover on various research projects utilising the new technology.
In its first phase the simulator will be piloted at WMG’s International Manufacturing Centre before moving to its final home in the new £150m National Automotive Innovation Centre, construction of which officially got underway earlier this month.
The simulator, which will be available to a range of research groups, will use a LIDAR scan (essentially a high resolution laser scan of an environment) of 30 miles of real roads around the city of Coventry into which various simulations can be uploaded.
While the simulator will use a fixed test car for many tests it will also be configured so that any make of car can be driven into the simulator for testing. This is believed to be a unique capability for such an advanced simulator.
Professor Philip Nelson, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said: “These joint investments in research and equipment will help industry incorporate the latest development in research into products and bring economic benefit to the UK. I am confident that the new National Automotive Innovation Centre will prove to be a fitting home for this new simulator. ”
WMG researcher Professor Paul Jennings added: “I am particularly looking forward to using this advanced simulator to better understand the use of smart and connected vehicles in a safe virtual environment.
“We want to help our industry partners accelerate the introduction of this exciting technology, so that we can all reap the many benefits as soon as possible. Some of the new technologies we will be testing will help reduce congestion and improve driver and passenger safety and comfort.”
Researchers in WMG’s Cyber Security Centre will also use the technology to research the cyber security of vehicles to ensure that our increasingly computerised cars have the maximum resilience and protection against the possibility of cyber attacks in the future.
Professor Carsten Maple, Professor of Cyber Systems Engineering at WMG’s Cyber Security Centre said: “Modern cars have more computing power and greater connectivity than ever before. Drivers rely on this technology far more than many realise.
“It is our aim to make vehicles as secure and trustworthy as possible, and this simulator will provide a unique opportunity to test both the vehicle and the human interaction with it. We have seen major advances in the safety of vehicles, and it is now vital we improve the security of these smart vehicles.”
Some of the research projects already lined up for the simulator will look at: the concept of ‘self-learning’ cars, enhancing driver experience by removing the repetitive, everyday tasks (such as setting a common satnav destination or tuning to your favourite radio station), methods of recognising common passengers and their needs, even how to tune the car to respond to the emotional state of the driver. These projects will test new technologies while accounting for the likely behaviour of a driver and the passengers in a way that otherwise would only be possible on-road.
