MAN Truck & Bus Participating In ATLAS-L4 Autonomous Driving Project

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MAN Truck & Bus is playing a major role in the ATLAS-L4 project, which is focused on advancing the research and development of autonomous trucks on public motorways and highways. (Photo courtesy of MAN.)

ATLAS-L4 (Automated Transport between Logistics centres on highways, Level 4) is a research and development project bringing together industry expertise to demonstrate and analyse the operation of autonomous trucks on German motorways and highways. Partners include software development, scientific research, and administration specialists, as well as automotive industry experts, all working to produce an autonomous concept and system that meets rigorous requirements for operational safety, remote monitoring, and data transmission.

“To bring fully automated trucks safely to the motorway, they must be comprehensively protected against cyber-attacks such as unauthorised remote access,” says Professor Dr. Claudia Eckert, director of the Fraunhofer AISEC. “With ATLAS-L4, we want to ensure that security is an integral part of any autonomous truck and is taken into consideration throughout the entire product lifecycle.”

MAN Truck & Bus is playing a leading role in ATLAS-L4 and will integrate the autonomous components into the vehicle, develop a data transmission system, and commission a control centre for technical monitoring during test runs.

“For MAN, ATLAS-L4 is an important step on the path towards hub-to-hub automation, with which we are already looking towards future series applications for Logistics 4.0,” says Dr. Frederik Zohm, MAN Truck & Bus executive board member responsible for research and development. “Having the extensive competence of the partners in the ATLAS-L4 project on board is an invaluable advantage with regard to the high demands on safety and operational suitability placed on a future self-driving-truck.”

Shaping The Future Of Road Freight Transport

One of the project’s primary goals is to produce a concept for the operation of automated trucks on motorways—and critically, one ready to enter production by the middle of this decade. MAN’s participation in ATLAS-L4 system development enable the company to closely cooperate with industry experts and more quickly bring a Level 4 autonomous vehicle to the streets.

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Partners include software development, scientific research, and administration specialists, as well as automotive industry experts, all working to produce a concept that meets rigorous requirements for safety, remote monitoring, and data transmission. (Photo courtesy of MAN.)

“Road safety, free-flowing traffic, and the resulting reduction in congestion are the central aims that we pursue tirelessly,” says Stephan Krenz, board chairman at Autobahn GmbH. “We want to develop the German motorways into a fully digital, networked and automated traffic system.”

Cross-Platform Expertise

The highly integrated approach of ATLAS-L4 allows each partner to focus on what they do best and provides a wide range of expertise that should significantly aid in making autonomous commercial vehicles a reality.

“Coupled with the skill of our project partners, the ATLAS-L4 project offers us the opportunity to develop steering systems for fully self-driving commercial vehicles,” says Jennifer Endres, head of development, Robert Bosch Automotive Steering. “This has enabled us to tackle challenges such as durability and safety at an early stage of our steering system product development. Together, we are defining the standards for self-driving commercial vehicles.”

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Source: MAN