French Programs Continue to Break New Ground in Advanced Driver Assist and Automation
IVsource.net
31 August 2001

Since 1997, the French have continued to invest in advanced driver assistance and vehicle-highway automation approaches, through studies and cooperative work with other European nations via the 5^th Framework program.  Here’s an update on their new program called ARCOS.

Since 1997, the French have continued to invest in advanced driver assistance and vehicle-highway automation approaches, through studies and cooperative work with other European nations via the European Commission's broad-ranging 5^th Framework R&D program .

Mr. Jean-Marc Blosseville leads activities at the Laboratory for the Interaction between Vehicle, Infrastructure, and Conducteur (Driver), called LIVIC, near Paris.  This is a joint lab supported by INRETS (the government safety agency) and the Laboratory for Roads and Bridges (LCPC).  LIVIC is the center for all work of this type.

LIVIC is developing the La Route Automatisée concept, and is involved in the European projects CARSENSE (low speed automated driving) and the French national project MICADO (obstacle detection).

ARCOS 2003

Recently, Mr. Blosseville has defined the ARCOS 2003 program for the public.  The program extends their previous work and focuses on active safety as a near-term research initiative.  ARCOS incorporates both warning and active control, as well as vehicle-vehicle communications.

Technical work in ARCOS will deal with current challenges in sensors and intelligent perception.  Vehicle-vehicle communications activity will focus on making drivers aware of stalled vehicles or accidents ahead.  Research topics are listed as:

• Detection and perception techniques

• Other measurement techniques:  visibility and friction

• Information processing and decision-making

• Communication

• Simulation & accident analysis

• Man-machine cooperation

• Individual and social acceptability

• Socio-economy, liability, regulation

A deployment approach is outlined for ARCOS in which improvements in safety and congestion relief are combined, as follows:

1. Informational and Warning systems (IWS) on some new vehicles, plus Low Speed Automation (or 'Stop &Go') in congested traffic on some designated regular lanes

2. Best IWS on all new vehicles, some active systems plus Low Speed Automation in congested traffic on designated regular lanes

3. Active systems on all new vehicles plus deployment of dedicated lanes ("Deployment phase")

4. Vehicles equipped with active safety compatible with automated and non automated networks.

Demo in ‘02

A demonstration is planned for June 2002 in conjunction with the ITSC/IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Conference in Paris (June 18-20).  It will be hosted by LIVIC on June 21, with other demo sites at INRIA, Renault Research, and Peugeot (all nearby).  Demonstration of advanced vehicles from companies throughout Europe is expected.  M. Blosseville of LIVIC is organizing the demo.

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