9th March 2021
8:30 am
8th March 2021
11:45 am
Peter Stoker, Chief Engineer for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles at UTAC CERAM Millbrook, explains how engineers are adapting and developing their test and validation methods for the next generation of vehicles.
The global migration from internal combustion engines towards alternative propulsion systems has been matched and complemented by the use of vehicles as mobile communications platforms. This, combined with the rapid evolution of vehicle autonomy, challenges traditional test protocols but offers exciting new avenues for engineers.
Vehicles on Millbrook’s iconic Bedfordshire proving ground. Image: Millbrook
Vehicles today are increasingly connected, moving beyond infotainment systems towards fleet monitoring, live navigation and traffic updates. The capabilities of vehicles as a communications platform open up multiple new technologies for the future. Vehicle-to-infrastructure, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-network communications will facilitate earlier warnings of incidents and road conditions, as well as live data streaming. This offers huge benefits when it comes to safety, vehicle management, prognostics and the remote changing of vehicle parameters to improve economy and battery life. There are two main technologies being used for this communication, one using 802.11p Wi-Fi, the other using cellular communication.