The king of Sweden visits the SAFER infrastructure AstaZero
On September 21, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf will visit AstaZero to learn more about the unique test facility and to experience demonstrations of automated vehicles.
The demonstrations will show how a truck operating in city traffic can avoid a collision with the vehicle ahead. Also, the Swedish king will witness how accidents with cyclists who appear in the blind spot, can be prevented. A demonstration with cars in high speed that can automatically perform advanced maneuvers and remote control of low speed vehicles will also be accomplish. The visit to AstaZero is a gift to the King on his 70th birthday.
SAFER’s infrastructure and researchers facilitate the demo
Ola Benderius has been assigned to make a demo with Revere's self-driving vehicles. Revere is a research vehicle and laboratory in the SAFER infrastructure network.
"We will show a demo where I control our passenger car ‘Snowfox’ with a controller from the spectator scene. Our truck ‘Rhino’ will follow in the car's track without human intervention", says Ola Benderius.
The vehicles used for the demonstration, as well as the software named OpenDLV, comes from SAFER's research lab Revere.
SAFER Infrastructure leader Fredrik Von Corswant tells more:
“AstaZero is an important part of SAFER's infrastructure for world-leading safety research. On the unique test track, research results and technologies can be validated in different vehicles in real-life traffic environments. Being able to offer our researchers in the SAFER research community access to the test environment is very good. It drives research, development and innovation, which is good for both Sweden and, of course, traffic safety”, Fredrik concludes.
Unique proving ground
AstaZero is a full-scale proving ground for future traffic safety solutions. One of the facility’s greatest assets is its flexibility, with a design that permits the construction of unique, customized environments. At most proving grounds, the options are more limited but at AstaZero most types of real-world traffic scenarios can be simulated. The centre can accommodate a wide range of test conditions, such as those found on busy city roads, highways, multi-lane motorways and crossroads. These conditions are crucial for studying the way vehicles interact with moving obstacles such as other cars, pedestrians, cycles, mopeds, motorcycles, trucks, buses and even animals that suddenly appear. In certain studies, e.g. those involving complex traffic situations and high speeds, robots will operate the test vehicles. The Swedish automotive industry is at the leading edge of active safety. Thanks to AstaZero, the country has great prospects for keeping the leading position and to reach the unique Vision Zero initiative.
