- £3.75 million in UK government grant funding for projects addressing key challenges in autonomous vehicle development
- Cranfield specialist expertise and facilities will test and improve emerging technologies
Cranfield University has a key role in two innovative projects that are helping accelerate the development of next-generation autonomous vehicle technologies.
The University is a partner in the DRIVEN BY SOUND+ and 5D RAPID projects, which have secured funding through the UK Government's Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder programme. Together, the projects aim to improve how autonomous vehicles detect, interpret and respond to complex driving environments, helping advance the safe deployment of automated transport technologies.
DRIVEN BY SOUND+ and 5D RAPID (5D Radar Perception for Intelligent Driving), are collaborative projects designed to strengthen the UK's leadership in CAM, an industry expected to create tens of thousands of high-quality jobs and contribute around £66 billion to the economy by 2040. The funding is from the UK Government's £150 million CAM Pathfinder programme, delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with Zenzic and Innovate UK.
Industry Minister Blair McDougall said: "Britain's autonomous vehicle sector is world-class, and with our Modern Industrial Strategy we're bringing business and science together to support the innovators and businesses who are shaping the future of transport. By backing these cutting-edge technologies with the funding to scale up we're helping this innovative sector to drive growth and jobs in every part of the UK.”
Developing 3D ultrasound technology for safer driving
DRIVEN BY SOUND+, led by Calyo in partnership with Benedex and Cranfield University, will develop an all-weather perception subsystem designed to improve the reliability of automated driving across a wide range of environments and operating conditions. The £1.25 million project builds on Driven by Sound, a programme which demonstrated the use of 3D ultrasound sensors for autonomous navigation, and aims to create an integrated and commercially deployable perception system.
DRIVEN BY SOUND+ focuses on improving how autonomous vehicles detect and understand their surroundings in challenging real-world conditions such as rain, fog, spray and low light, which are particularly difficult for many existing camera and LiDAR-based systems. The project will combine innovative 3D ultrasound sensing with artificial intelligence to integrate data from multiple sensors and produce an accurate model of the surrounding scene. The proposed solution will be based on established and open-source tools to help manufacturers and developers evaluate and adopt the technology.
Cranfield University will support automated driving integration, simulation, data collection, and on-road validation using a drive-by-wire (using electronic systems to control driving functions) research vehicle, CONRRAD.
The project team will run detailed scenario tests to gather data and enable evaluation of the system under a range of operating conditions.
Using advanced radar to improve autonomous vehicle safety
Cranfield is also a partner in 5D RAPID, a £2.5 million project led by Oxford RF which also involves IPG Automotive, Coventry University, ECOSAR Tech, and Halo Drive. The project addresses the critical challenge of developing perception systems for self-driving vehicles that are safe, reliable and cost-effective in a wide range of conditions. Current autonomous vehicles can struggle with fast-moving objects, poor weather or complex urban environments.
This project brings together leading industry and academic partners to develop advanced 5D (position in 3D, as well as fast and accurate measurement of the speed in 2D) radar technology to deliver safer, more effective autonomous driving by enhancing vehicle sensing capabilities.
Cranfield University will integrate four Oxford RF radar sensors into its autonomous vehicle platform, alongside existing computing infrastructure, and test perception algorithms to detect and track road users in real time. Data will be collected across a range of driving scenarios with tests on Cranfield’s purpose-built instrumented road, the Multi User Environment for Autonomous Vehicle Innovation (MUEAVI) and on public roads.
Accelerating the future of automated transport
Dr Marco Cecotti, Lecturer in Driving Automation at Cranfield University, said: "These projects address some of the key technical challenges facing automated mobility, including improving the affordability and coverage of perception systems, ensuring robust performance in all weather conditions, and enhancing reliability in the face of component and system failures. With our specialist expertise and facilities, Cranfield will help develop safe and reliable systems that support the further roll-out of autonomous vehicles."
CAM Pathfinder is delivered through a multi-year commitment of targeted investment to support the development, deployment and adoption of connected and automated mobility technologies across the UK, helping drive innovation, investment and economic growth.
For more information about the CAM Pathfinder programme, visit: https://zenzic.io/cam-pathfinder/
