Test area for intelligent transport in Finland to be built in Tampere
Large-scale field testing of intelligent transport systems begins in Europe
VTT and Mercedes-Benz are leading a project to create the transport system of the future, in which cars communicate with each other, receive real-time information about traffic and also gather and forward information themselves. A test area is currently being built in Tampere. It will help establish which services Finnish drivers want, and what sort of effect these services would have on the safety and fluency of traffic as well as environmental effects.
The recently launched European DRIVE C2X project is developing and evaluating new intelligent transport services for drivers and passengers that convey real-time information from one commuter to another. The transport system is expected to increase traffic efficiency and reduce the number of accidents, as road users are better informed about what is happening around them in traffic.
The new systems will be cooperative systems in which vehicles will exchange location based real-time information with other vehicles and infrastructure. This would make it possible to warn a driver about an approaching emergency vehicle or a slippery curve ahead, for example.
The new systems will be trialled in about a year’s time in Tampere, when the test area is up-and-running. The key focus of the project is to study the effects of developed applications and services on driver behaviour; on the safety, efficiency and environment of traffic; and on realistic traffic situations. It will be possible to utilise the results in practice around 2–4 years after the conclusion of the project.
European research institutes and major European car manufacturers – particularly Daimler as the project’s coordinator – are carrying out this three-year project. VTT is the largest partner in the project, both by budget EUR 2.1 million and volume of work. The project’s total budget amounts to EUR 19 million. In addition to Finland, other countries taking part in the project are Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, France and Spain.
For more information, please contact:
VTT
Project Manager Jukka Laitinen
Tel. +358 20 722 3637
jukka.laitinen@vtt.fi
Harri Koskinen, responsible for the test area
Tel. +358 20 722 3624
harri.koskinen@vtt.fi
Further information on VTT:
Olli Ernvall, Senior Vice President, Communications
Tel. 358 20 722 6747
olli.ernvall@vtt.fi
www.vtt.fi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a leading multitechnological applied research organization in Northern Europe. VTT creates new technology and science-based innovations in co-operation with domestic and foreign partners. VTT’s turnover is EUR 280 million and its personnel totals 2,900.
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