Event

How do we create reliable safety systems for autonomous and assisted vehicles (ADAS) that perform seamlessly across all traffic and weather conditions? On December 18, SAFER invites you to a mini-conference where you will learn about the latest advancements in testing, verification, and risk management for autonomous and connected vehicles (CCAM).

What you will learn:

• Optimal safety in diverse traffic: How advanced ADAS systems can manage risks in complex environments where autonomous vehicles share the road with pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-connected users.
• Robust testing and verification methods: Simulations and new approaches to ensure ADAS systems perform safely and effectively under challenging traffic scenarios and extreme weather conditions.
• Continuous improvement through data: How proactive V&V strategies enable new features and updates to be virtually tested, enhancing safety and reliability.

This mini-conference provides a unique insight into research from SAFER’s project portfolio, highlighting advancements that are shaping the future of road safety. We will also conduct a gap analysis to identify and prioritised areas for future collaborative research. Very welcome!

AGENDA

08:00        SAFER’s Christmas Breakfast, sign up separately here!

09:00        End of SAFER Christmas Breakfast

09:30        Welcome and today’s conference agenda, Magnus Granström

09:35        Key note address – focusing on the future of ADAS from a testing and verification perspective: ADAS testing outlook, Carina Björnsson, Technical expert test methods active safety functions, Collison Avoidance, Volvo Cars

10:05        Results from the SAFER Pre-study Human Factors, risks and optimal performance in CCAM, Oscar Molina, Halmstad University

10:20        SEVVOS - Simulation and Emulation of Water Spray for Validation of Optical Sensors, Peter Eriksson, AstaZero

10:35        Networking break

11:00        Deep multimodel learning for automotive applications, Maryam Fatemi, Zenseact

11:15        ASSERTED - Assuring Safety for Rapid and Continuous Deployment for Autonomous Driving, Ali Nouri, Volvo Cars/Chalmers University of Technology

11:30        MICROVISION - Development, Testing, and Demonstration of a Real-Time Support System for Electric Vehicle Riders, Da Wang, Autoliv

11:45        ROADVIEW: Robust Automated Driving in Extreme Weather, Eren Erdal Aksoy, Halmstad University

12:00        FAMER - Facilitating Multi-Party Engineering of Requirements, Eric Knauss, University of Gothenburg

12:15        Conclusions from the mini conference, all

12:20        Networking lunch

13:00        Mini- project creation workshop: Defining research priorities in ADAS testing and verification for CCAM

This mini-workshop brings together SAFER partners to identify key research questions and community interests for future projects focused on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility (CCAM). Participants will collaboratively explore priorities in testing and verification to ensure robust ADAS performance across diverse traffic and environmental conditions. By the end of the session, we aim to align on research areas that can drive impactful, community-led projects within the SAFER collaboration platform, supporting the development of safer, adaptive ADAS solutions for the evolving mobility landscape.

The workshop is moderated by Anna Larsson and Martin Sanfridson, RISE and Magnus Granström, SAFER.

14:15        EVIDENT Final event (separate program, see here)

15:00        Coffee break

15:45        End of event

ABOUT THE PROJECTS

HUMAN FACTORS, RISKS AND OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE IN CCAM
This SAFER Pre-study project advanced Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) by tackling safety challenges in mixed-traffic environments, contributing to the Vision Zero mission. With the growing presence of Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs), the project addressed complexities in assessing road risks involving multimodal road users (MRUs) like pedestrians, cyclists, and legacy vehicles. It mapped hybrid road scenarios, analyzed risk metrics, and simulated CAV performance in these mixed settings, providing valuable insights into optimal data and communication requirements. The findings lay groundwork for future mobility safety frameworks and collaborative research, with Halmstad University, VTI, and RISE as project partners. Results will be presented at an upcoming event.

SEVVOS - Simulation and Emulation of Water Spray for Validation of Optical Sensors
The SEVVOS project focused on enhancing testing methods for vehicle safety systems by developing simulations of water spray effects on optical sensors, a crucial factor for reliable safety performance in all weather conditions. This completed project addressed the challenge of ensuring sensor accuracy despite environmental factors like rain and spray, creating a simulation method that replicates water spray in testing environments and validating these results with real-world data. Partners are AstaZero, Veoneer, Chalmers University of Technology and RISE. 

Through advanced sensor data collected in various weather conditions, researchers used machine learning to simulate spray effects. The project’s findings, which deepen understanding of aerosol formation and its impact on sensor reliability, will be presented at the upcoming event.

DEEP MULTIMODAL LEARNING FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS 
This project aims to make driving safer by advancing perception capabilities within AD and ADAS through innovative sensor fusion methods. Focusing on dynamic and static object detection, self-supervised learning for multimodal data, and enhanced handling of rare events, the project seeks to create robust fusion architectures that improve detection accuracy. By refining these key elements, the project expects to significantly elevate the safety and reliability of ADAS/AD-equipped vehicles, fostering broader public acceptance and supporting a safer transportation ecosystem. Partners are Zenseact, Volvo Cars, and Chalmers University of Technology.
 

ASSERTED - Assuring Safety for Rapid and Continuous Deployment for Autonomous Driving
The ASSERTED project aims to make self-driving vehicles safer as they are quickly improved and deployed. Since autonomous vehicles are complex and must be extremely safe, this project will explore new ways to ensure safety as they are updated and introduced to the market.

The team will create safety methods and strategies that support continuous development and data-driven improvements, making it easier for companies like Volvo Cars to keep autonomous vehicles safe as they evolve. They’ll study safety models, test these approaches in real situations, and share results to help guide industry standards. This research will help the industry handle safety challenges while making autonomous vehicles a safe part of everyday life. The ASSERTED project partners are Volvo Cars, Chalmers University of technology, and Zenseact. 

MICROVISION - Development, Testing, and Demonstration of a Real-Time Support System for Electric Vehicle Riders
MICROVISION aims to enhance traffic safety for micromobility users by developing a real-time ADAS tailored for e-scooters. MicroVision leverages advanced image processing to detect potential hazards from other micromobility users, providing visual and haptic alerts to riders for improved response time. The project includes extensive data collection and annotation for object classification, model integration for real-time hazard detection, and rigorous testing for system reliability. By sharing its data and models publicly, MicroVision supports ongoing safety advancements in the micromobility field, contributing to safer urban transportation. Autoliv and Chalmers University of Technology is working together in this project.

ROADVIEW
This project, funded by Horizon Europe and coordinated by Halmstad University, focuses on enhancing autonomous vehicle safety in extreme weather conditions. Bringing together 15 partners, including top universities and industry leaders, the project addresses the unique challenges automated vehicles face in adverse weather.

While most autonomous vehicles are designed for optimal conditions, ROADVIEW aims for reliable performance in all weather. Through advanced AI-driven in-vehicle systems, it will enable vehicles to accurately perceive and respond to poor visibility and challenging road surfaces. With innovative technologies like collaborative perception and simulation-based testing, ROADVIEW aligns with the European CCAM Partnership’s mission to create safer, weather-resilient autonomous vehicles. Completion is expected in August 2026.

FAMER - Facilitating Multi-Party Engineering of Requirements
This project is designed to enhance traffic safety by rethinking how safety requirements for AI-based perception systems are developed and managed. This innovative, collaborative project will establish new models and methods to ensure that safety requirements are clear, consistent, and agreed upon across different organisations and fields involved in autonomous vehicle technology. By tackling the complexities of modern automotive systems, FAMER aims to advance road safety and reduce accident risks, supporting SAFER's mission to make transportation safer through research and practical solutions. FAMER brings together key industry and research partners, including RISE, the University of Gothenburg, Volvo Cars, Zenseact, and Kognic.

EVIDENT - Enabling VIrtual valiDation and vErificatioN for ADAS and AD features
The EVIDENT project advanced road safety by developing virtual validation and verification (V&V) methods for ADAS and AD systems, addressing the need for reliable testing of increasingly complex vehicle functions. By simulating challenging edge cases and diverse driving scenarios in high-fidelity virtual environments, EVIDENT enabled more systematic and efficient testing, complementing traditional road tests. This proactive V&V approach supports safer driving by ensuring ADAS and AD systems can handle real-world scenarios effectively. The project results will be presented at an upcoming event, with contributions from partners including AstaZero, Asymptotic, Chalmers University, Zeekr, University of Gothenburg, RISE, and VTI.

ABOUT SAFER'S RESEARCH DAYS

SAFER Research Days aim to share insights, engage in meaningful discussions, present project results, identify next steps, strengthen networks, and gain new inspiration through thematic sessions, deep dives, guest speakers, and working group presentations.

Our Research Days are designed to achieve several important objectives:

• Disseminate knowledge: Share the valuable insights and discoveries generated from our diverse project portfolio.
• Engage in meaningful discussions: Participate in panel dialogues and workshops to delve into our partners’ findings, plan future steps, and emphasize practical applications in society as well as potential new projects.
• Identify next steps for projects: Explore potential next steps, paving the way for innovative proposals that drive progress and impact.
• Strengthen collaborative networks: Connect with peers, partners, and experts to exchange ideas and build stronger relationships for future cooperation.

In addition to these goals, our Research Days will feature:

• Thematic focus: Participate in sessions that focus on specific themes relevant to our research community.
• Deep dives and workshops: Engage in detailed explorations of specific topics to gain deeper understanding and insights.
• Guest speakers: Gain inspiration and knowledge from guest speakers who are leaders in their respective fields.
• Working Group presentations: Hear from various working groups about their ongoing projects and achievements.
• New inspiration: Discover new ideas and inspiration to drive your own research and projects forward.

The theme for the project presentations and dialogue this time will be our Impact Area Safety principles.

We look forward to a productive and inspiring Research Day event together with you!