Sorigué’s research laboratory has begun a new project that hopes to develop a technology based on magnetic markers with the aim of increasing the preventive safety of self-driving vehicles on roads.
 
The research project, under the title “Development of a redundant road safety system for self-driving vehicles: SMARTMOVE”, is funded by the Business Competitiveness Agency, ACCIÓ, under the tender “Nuclis de recerca industrial i desenvolupament experimental” and the RIS3CAT strategy.
 
Boasting a budget of 892,468.41 and an expected duration of 18 months, the initiative features the participation of Elecnor, the project leader; the Laboratory for the Technological Innovation of Structures and Materials (Litem) of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia; and Sorigué.

Self-driving vehicles
 
Self-driving vehicles are equipped with obstacle detection mechanisms that use cameras or LIDAR. However, there are numerous risk situations brought on by the weather, such as fog and rain;

local visibility, such as tunnels; and uncertainties when making decisions, such as intersections or roundabouts, which, at present, make it impossible to achieve zero risk with these vehicles.
 
Faced with this scenario, these vehicles need a redundant security system that is not affected by its vulnerabilities, is robust and reliable and is positioned directly on the road to provide local information on the vehicles’ exterior. This research looks to develop this necessary technology using magnetic markers that reduce the risks associated with self-driving vehicles.

This project is part of the Sorigué group’s commitment to innovation and knowledge management, the guiding principles of its current Strategic Plan, which seeks responsible business growth. 

This project has been co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

The subsidised action has been carried out with the support of ACCIÓ in the framework of the ERDF Operational Programme of Catalonia 2014-2020.