UNICARagil
Modular architecture for connected self-driving electric vehicles
Objectives
The project UNICARagil aims to develop a versatilely applicable platform for automated electric vehicles, which allows to realise as different vehicles as private small cars, taxi vans or delivery vans by different combinations of the same modules. Central aspects of the research and development in this project are a kit of mechatronic modules, a modular software architectur based on uniform interfaces, and a powerful, functionally reliable architecture of the electric and electronic components. Special focus goes to the capability to easily exchange individual modules of the system without having the need to adapt or re-validate other existing components. The use of electric powertrain modules which especially allow for a high steering angle enables additional systematic research and implementation of special features of extraordinary manoeuvrable and agile vehicles.
Challenges
One essential prerequisite for the decision process of automated vehicles is a detailed environment model which is genarated using sensor data of the vehicle. To enable a predictive planning, it is necessary to enrich this environment model by using additional sources of information such as digital maps.
For a flexible and efficient information gathering the Institute of Flight System Dynamics cooperates with flyXdrive GmbH to develop automated operating aerial vehicles which are deployed depending on information demand to e.g. places of high traffic density. The concept of “info bees” reduces the infrastructural investment needs and simultaneously enhances the use value consisting of mobile applicable, high-resolution sensors.
Among others the following work packages are to be treated:
- Integrating sensors into a UAV
- Connecting sensor data to a central cloud
- Fully automation of the UAV including take-off and landing
- Ground-based infrastructure for automated charging of the UAV
Project Duration
February 2018 to Januar 2022
Project Website
Funding
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Project Partners
- Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika) – RWTH Aachen University
- Chair of Computer Science 11 – Embedded Software – RWTH Aachen University
- Technische Universität Braunschweig
- Technische Universität Darmstadt
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- Technical University of Munich
- University of Stuttgart
- Ulm University
- Atlatec GmbH
- flyXdrive GmbH
- iMAR Navigation GmbH
- IPG Automotive GmbH
- Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
- VIRES Simulationstechnologie GmbH
Project Coordinator
Prof. Dr. Lutz Eckstein, ika