Co-operative Driving on the Automated Highway

“The highway of the future will utilise intelligent infrastructure
which interacts with the vehicles and people using it.”

Highways of the future will utilise intelligent infrastructure which interacts with the vehicles and people using it.

Cooperative driving and greater automation of the highway (Cooperative Vehicle-Highway Systems - CVHS) will deliver predictable / reliable journey times and greater safety in adverse weather conditions. However, public opinion may be resistant to futuristic concepts of automation. Complete reassurance on safety, reliability, practicality and sustainability in all circumstances will be required.

A backbone of inter-regional automated highway lanes will be established, segregated for freight and car traffic. The lanes will provide safe, fast and predictable journey times for those willing to pay the price.

CVHS will bring other innovations which help focus on a favoured traffic mix, such as freight convoys. CVHS will make it easier to minimise the disruptive effect of road works (eg diversions) and maintenance programmes (eg access to lanes) and to increase the life of the highway (eg avoid rutting).
  

• Japan has a developed programme of research with a focus on safety, (Smart Way and Smart Cruise), with deployment planned to begin in 2003.
  
  
• The USA, and in particular California, have planned demonstrations in 2003 and are furthering research into CVHS supporting systems for delivery of both increased safety and congestion relief.
  
  
• The European Commission are actively supporting automated driving programmes, as well as individual country initiatives. Plans are developing for a major project in the 6th Framework Programme.
  
  
• The Netherlands have a well developed Automated Vehicle Guidance programme within their “Roads to the Future” initiative and France are embarking on a long term deployment strategy, “La Route Automatisse” of driver assistance for rural, freight, commuting and inter-city scenarios.
  
  
• The development and deployment of CVHS is dependent on the cooperation and collaboration of the Private and Public Sectors. The Private Sector, with their consumer based service provision requires the support of the public sector to enable the effective provision of services and to ensure a wider vision and satisfaction of societal needs.
  

• Secure major safety and highway capacity benefits through promotion of technologies for co-operative driving and greater automation of the highway.
  
  
• Develop a politically acceptable deployment strategy for deploying these technologies.
  

• Carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the available co-operative driving and automated highway concepts, including a political risk assessment and identification of potential show-stoppers:
  
  
• Social and political issues: perceived acceptance / public acceptability (e.g. only top of the market cars will have necessary systems to begin with; possible concerns from fleet owners)
  
  
• Liability and health and safety issues in the event of failure
  
  
• Standards (both vehicle and driver performance)
  
  
• Hazard and operability assessment.
  
  
• Performance in severe and exceptional operating conditions and/or an unfavourable traffic mix.
  
  
• Maintenance arrangements and fail safe options for periods of inoperability
  
  
• Levels of reliability in adverse weather conditions (ie the system can’t stop and start - it needs to be consistent and reliable)
  
  Effect of foreign vehicles, rogue drivers and inconsistent driving patterns (ie hazards from the public)
  
  Enforcement and policing issues
  
  
• Specialist freight requirements (e.g. abnormal loads)
  
  
• Interface with non-automated highways and routes: entry/exit / interchange
  
  Track examples from other countries (e.g. California, Holland, Japan, France, etc)
  
  
• Identify suitable test / demonstration sites (UK or abroad) for trials, safety audits / failsafe considerations and user acceptance work
  
  
• Identify EU funding opportunities and develop joint projects (trials and demonstrations) with neighbouring countries (e.g. Netherlands, France)
  
  
• Create a national stakeholder forum (the UK Automated Highway Forum) and encourage UK participation in the international stakeholder forums
  
  Business case development: Cost benefit analysis / economic evaluation
  
  
• Clarify demarcation of Network Operator(s) and Vehicle Developer roles and stimulate appropriate vehicle development
  
  
• Focus on stepping stones and transitional steps towards co-operative driving and greater automation (e.g. engineering technology base such as dynamic lane management).
  
  
• Assess the target traffic mix; develop an appropriate infrastructure design, and user and vehicle standards (e.g. the motorway fit driver / vehicle)
  
  
• Develop the legal framework, enforcement methods and system of regulation.