CanEduDev Partners with KTH and Telenor on Advanced Autonomous Driving Project

Project Summary

The collaboration between CanEduDev, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and Telenor represents a pioneering effort to push the boundaries of autonomous driving technology on a small scale. The project, titled “Autonomous Drive of a Minicar Using Edge Computing and 5G Communication,” falls within the CART (Connected, Collaborating, and Automated Road Traffic) framework of TECoSA (Center for Trustworthy Edge Computing Systems and Applications). Its primary objective is to use CanEduDev’s Rover platform as a testbed for examining technologies essential to autonomous driving, such as real-time data processing, edge computing, and secure 5G communication.

Project Overview

In this project, each partner brings unique expertise to the development process:

CanEduDev provides the Rover platform, a sophisticated 1:5 scale model car. This platform serves as a foundation for testing various autonomous vehicle functionalities, allowing researchers to evaluate CAN (Controller Area Network) messages, high-precision LiDAR integration, and various control modules such as motor and steering control. It represents an accessible yet advanced alternative to full-scale autonomous testing vehicles, with features like modular design, 4WD, and a suspension system tailored to adapt to real-world challenges.
KTH focuses on integrating perception sensors and developing software capabilities. Sensors like LiDAR and cameras are crucial for enabling the Rover to detect its environment and respond to obstacles, while KTH’s software efforts aim to optimize control algorithms for real-time decision-making. LiDAR with specific requirements, such as a 360-degree field of view and high point density, is used to map environments accurately and support situational awareness in the Rover. The software developed by KTH aligns with open-source platforms like ROS2, which helps standardize autonomous driving functionalities and ensures compatibility with other research projects worldwide.
Telenor brings its expertise in 5G communication, which is integral to the project’s emphasis on low-latency data transmission. The Rover leverages edge computing via Telenor’s infrastructure to handle computationally intensive tasks. This arrangement is particularly important because, given the hardware constraints of a scaled-down model, offloading processing tasks to edge servers significantly boosts the Rover’s capacity for real-time response and data management. This aspect directly addresses latency and safety—two critical factors for autonomous vehicles.

Key Project Objectives and Research Goals

The project examines the following primary research questions to enhance autonomous vehicle technology:

Effective Task Offloading: This research explores how computational tasks can be efficiently distributed between the Rover and the edge servers, ensuring that data such as sensor input is processed in real time.
End-to-End Latency: By leveraging 5G, the project seeks to maintain latency within the safe limits necessary for autonomous driving, where milliseconds can determine the efficacy of safety responses.
Impact on Vehicle Safety and Performance: By testing different configurations of edge architecture, the project assesses how latency, data fidelity, and processing speed affect the Rover’s ability to navigate safely and accurately.

Implications for CanEduDev

For CanEduDev, this collaboration underscores its goal to create an R&D platform that is both scalable and highly adaptable for research and educational settings. The Rover platform itself, designed with modularity and flexibility in mind, is a testament to CanEduDev’s commitment to providing hands-on learning and development in CAN technology. With add-ons like CAN modules, remote control systems, and adaptable hardware configurations, the Rover offers an accessible platform for companies, researchers, and educators interested in autonomous vehicle development and edge computing technologies.

The project also positions CanEduDev as a leader in educational and professional CAN-based platforms, especially as the demand for versatile tools in STEM education and autonomous driving grows. Partnerships like this with KTH and Telenor enhance CanEduDev’s brand and operational capacity, emphasizing the Rover’s potential to foster innovations that bridge the gap between small-scale models and full-scale autonomous driving technology.

And about KTH and Tecosa here

The TECoSA Center at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) is dedicated to Trustworthy Edge Computing Systems and Applications. It is a Vinnova center collaborating with 17 industrial partners to develop methods, tools, and theories for creating safe, secure, and predictable systems based on edge computing.

https://www.tecosa.center.kth.se/