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Autonomous vehicles makes the truck driver of the future to be an office worker

As part of the European DESERVE project, VTT, Iveco Finland and TTS-Kehitys Oy are developing a new software platform which will bring autonomous driving features to trucks. The truck of the future will sense nearby obstacles and possible safety risks, and inform the driver. The vehicle will also monitor driving behaviour and draw the driver's attention to possible hazardous situations.

   The DESERVE (DEvelopment platform for Safe and Efficient dRiVE) project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd involves the development of new types of software platforms, to which the 'senses' required by vehicles, such as cameras, radar and laser scanners, are connected. The platform enables software components and sensors to be connected to the vehicle's systems without compromising their reliability. 

   TTS is implementing and testing the safety equipment development platform. Also a driver monitoring functionality based on eye tracking is utilised. This was developed by VTT in a high-end truck simulator. TTS is in charge of ensuring that the test results correspond to what would happen on real roads and can be applied in practice.

   Iveco Finland provided a truck, with a very highly developed camera system, for the project. This is being complemented with a 360° camera system, three 3D cameras, nine short-range radars and three in-vehicle cameras. With these, the driver can obtain real-time information on obstacles and possible safety risks around the car. On the other hand, the in-vehicle cameras monitor the driver's attentiveness and driving behaviour. 

   The first versions of the systems should be ready for installation in vehicles within two years.

   The DESERVE project has been funded via the EU ECSEL programme, and by TEKES in Finland. Major players in the automotive industry such as Fiat, Daimler, Continental, Volvo, Bosch, INRIA, ICOOR, dSpace, INFINEON, etc are involved.

   The project, which began in 2012, will end in February 2016.