WMG's Self-driving car research
WMG is driving research in self-driving transport technology, following UK government and industry funding
WMG, as part of a consortium led by Conigital, is working on the Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility (MACAM) project, which has been awarded £16.6m, running from February 2023 to 2025. It aims to establish a remote driving control hub that will oversee self-driving vehicles – a move that will again place Coventry at the driving force of transport innovation.
As well as WMG and Conigital, the consortium includes partners such as NEC Birmingham, Coventry City Council, Coventry University, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, and many more. Their project will be underpinned by Conigital’s 5G-based, central, Remote Monitoring Teleoperation (RMTO) system. To put it simply, this system will allow the self-driving vehicles to operate as efficiently as possible, where a system will control a fleet of 13 vehicles, without the need for a supervising driver inside the vehicle.
They will be moving passengers and light cargo (such as mail parcels) on set routes which are currently in need of alternative transport methods, so are the ideal platform from which to develop commercial self-driving solutions. The routes will be between Birmingham International Rail Station and Birmingham Business Park, as well as between Coventry Railway Station and Coventry University campus. Following this trial, they hope to expand on the routes and continue the services beyond the project.
WMG plays an important role, focusing specifically on the safety of self-driving vehicles. David Evans, Lead Engineer at WMG explains: “Researchers and engineers at WMG will be providing trial support and undertaking related research in line with industry standards and best practice, required for the operator(s) to conduct the automated vehicle deployments safely and securely.”
The sustainability benefits
- Automated driving has a range of benefits – you remove people’s variability in driving style, so energy usage could be optimised for every journey. Automation can mean improved safety (as there would be no human error when driving). A reduction in accidents can have positive environmental impacts.
- If the MACAM project is successful, it can be developed commercially, with the chance for the technology to be used in public transport methods such as buses, some of which are currently all-electric. Autonomous driving means less reliance on human drivers, so the number of sustainable, public transport services in operation could increase.
- CAM would allow us to manage the traffic flow more effectively on road networks, ultimately reducing the amount of infrastructure required. The less concrete produced for parking spaces, widening roads, bridges, and underpasses, the less emissions created and the more green spaces protected.