Intelligent transport systems (ITS) – the next frontier for research and innovation towards safer and greener mobility – represent a priority of the European and Italian programs as the Next Generation EU – PNRR.
Region Abruzzo – hosting the first and unique innovation hub in Europe with the peculiarity to grouping together research organizations, vehicle manufacturers, satellite operators, large and small industries, has organized a special event at the EXPO Italian pavilion to present its innovative research program focused on vehicular communications, accurate and secure localization and navigation supported by machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The event was an opportunity for Radiolabs to showcase the latest results in the Region Abruzzo innovation ecosystem achieved through a public-private partnership to federating different R&D programs involving Ministry of Economic Development (MISE), Abruzzo Region, Space Agencies (ASI, ESA, EUSPA), University of L’Aquila, Leonardo, Telespazio, Elital, and IAM – the Automotive Innovation Pole located in the Region Abruzzo.
A cornerstone of Radiolabs research presented at the EXPO is the EMERGE project conceived in collaboration with Stellantis to develop and test the communication, positioning, and cybersecure platforms for daily transport and emergency applications using the DUCATO van – produced in the Abruzzo SEVEL factory – that will be ready to undergo field tests by end of this year. Critical event detection, virtual horizons, processing of large data with artificial intelligence, and real-time broadcast of messages to connected vehicles to prioritize traffic in favor of rescue operations are one of the new applications of EMERGE. This emergency-driven application aims to strengthen the Region Abruzzo means to counteract natural events, having been the Region hit by a disastrous earthquake 10 years ago, severely damaging the city of L’Aquila and its surroundings villages with numerous victims.
The HELMET project entails an international collaboration to leveraging on synergies between the new technologies for train management system ERTMS and the Connected cars with the ultimate goal of building safer and more economically-environmentally sustainable solutions. In particular, HELMET that is entering into the final phase with a proof of concept would be the basis for the realization of a standardizable augmentation network supporting high integrity GNSS localization means for the ERTMS and Connected car systems.
The latest research of the Radiolabs laboratory – hosted by the University of L’Aquila – is underway with P-CAR – a project funded by ASI through the ESA NAVISP-3 program to develop and build a laboratory dedicated to the validation and certification of vehicle’s positioning systems for the connected and autonomous cars. This laboratory – to be finally integrated into the Center of Excellence (ExEMERGE) of the University of L’Aquila to create a national strategic infrastructure – will provide a simulation environment with hardware in the loop, opening to virtual validations for assessing the safety performance of connected cars and positioning devices under the stringent constraints of safety requirements that otherwise would require time-consuming, non-exhaustive and costly field tests. Its cloud-based platform will pave the way for the realization of a geo-distributed international and independent network of research institutions to complement the central facility of the Region Abruzzo.
