Member Article

RDM tap into WMG to test driverless pods

WMG at the University of Warwick is to use a laser scan of 30 miles of Coventry roads to test driverless pods as part of a research programme launched this week.

WMG will work with RDM Group - the UK’s only designer and manufacturer of driverless Pods - in a project called INnovative Testing of Autonomous Control Techniques (INTACT).

The project, funded by Innovate UK, will enable Coventry-based automotive innovation experts RDM to test its vehicles on one of the world’s most adaptable and advanced driving simulators at WMG.

Professor Paul Jennings from WMG at the University of Warwick said:

“The vehicles will be tested on a state-of-the-art simulator we have just installed in WMG. It 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 to test vehicles in the simulator.

“It can be configured so that different vehicles can be driven into it for testing, and the real world wireless environment will be recreated too. We believe both will be novel capabilities for such an advanced simulator.”

Located on the Bilton Industrial Estate in Coventry, RDM Group has being putting the City on the map following its groundbreaking involvement in the LUTZ Pathfinder trial, which will see driverless vehicles trialed on the pavements of Milton Keynes this Spring.

The company, which employs over 50 people, has been involved in the design and build of the iconic pods and will also be a key partner in the recently announced £20m Autodrive consortium.

David Keene, Chairman of RDM Group, said: “It is fantastic that we have such advanced simulation technology at our disposal to analyse how driverless vehicles will react to the surroundings of Coventry.

“It will speed up the testing process considerably and help with the positioning of the sensors on the pods. Yet another example of how university and industry can work together to put the region and the country at the forefront of driverless technology.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .