The two applications are the safe, automated merging of trucks in highway traffic and the reliable detection of vulnerable road users in urban environments.

MODI is a European innovation initiative that brings together 34 partners from industry and research. The aim of the project is to demonstrate automated heavy goods transportation along a real transport corridor through five European countries.

The solution to the driver shortage?

"The increasingly critical shortage of drivers is forcing the industry to rethink. In future, we need to deploy these skilled workers where their experience is strategically necessary - the technology already exists for simple, monotonous tasks. Automated driving functions and infrastructure technology not only increase safety for our drivers, but also for all road users, not least pedestrians," says Martin Gruber, Managing Director of Gruber Logistics, explaining the logistics project partner's perspective.

Automated lane change maneuver

The tests were carried out in a real road environment - a basic prerequisite for the practical further development of automated driving functions. In the test scenarios launched at the beginning of May, an automated lane change maneuver was successfully demonstrated in public highway traffic. Using the "Cooperative Merging" function developed by Volvo, the vehicles involved exchanged information in real time with each other and intelligent IT interfaces at the roadworks in order to safely pass the obstacles installed for the test. For example, merging into flowing traffic or navigating roadworks was tested.

Realistic simulation of critical situations

On the other hand, integration into the urban infrastructure, so-called "intelligent roads", was tested: A new type of detection system was used at a central traffic junction in Hamburg, which detects vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists at a distance of up to 300 meters. For this purpose, movement patterns were analyzed and transmitted in real time to approaching trucks, which themselves only have a limited perception radius. Child crash test dummies were also used to realistically simulate critical blind spot situations. This is intended to provide additional safety.

Cooperative traffic light data

At the same time, the project partners tested the use of cooperative traffic light data. Using so-called "time-to-green" information, the trucks were able to adapt their speed in advance in order to pass through traffic light phases without stopping. At the same time, the infrastructure reacted dynamically to the volume of traffic: The traffic light circuits were adapted to react flexibly to the expected arrival times of the vehicles.