The Hi-Drive project’s 2nd Roadshow themed “Automated Driving in GNSS denied areas” took place at Tunnel Rennsteig, Germany’s longest road tunnel on 20th June 2023.

Highway tunnels pose a multitude of challenges that include the loss of GPS signal, sudden light to dark transition, poor camera view due to artificial illumination and an overall increased potential risk for accidents due to the restricted geometry of the tunnel. Therefore Vehicle localization for accurate positioning in highway tunnels is a challenging task for the improvement of autonomous vehicle navigation.

During a live Motorway Chauffer demonstration, our partner Valeo Deutschland showcased to participants – including road authorities from Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands – how it envisions to overcome the aforementioned challenges using LiDAR localization and positioning. Each research and demonstration vehicle had a Safety Driver and project engineer on board, tasked with explaining all technical aspects to the passengers during and after the ride for Q&As. During a guided tour of the tunnel control center, the responsible manager explained the daily operations and exceptional challenges related to these traffic infrastructures. Also on the agenda, a series of accompanying expert presentations by BASt, Valeo DE, Valeo FR and the Thuringia Forest Authority gave further insights and the opportunity for in depth interaction.

On the second day, the gathered partners from the consortium seized the opportunity to hold an in person SPL/WPL meeting, for a broad assessment of the projects progress.