Research projects Cooperative, connected and automated mobility (CCAM)
FLOURISH was a multi-sector collaboration that helped to advance the successful implementation of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) in the UK, by developing services and capabilities that link user needs and system requirements, maximising the benefits of CAVs for users and transport authorities. The three-year project was worth £5.5 million and was co-funded between industry and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV). It was delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. It was part of the government’s £100 million Intelligent Mobility Fund, supporting the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge.
FLOURISH adopted a user-focused approach to best understand consumer expectations of CAV technology. The project explored how this technology can be harnessed to enhance and enable mobility for older adults and those with mobility-related needs, contributing to the development of a stronger and more inclusive society. Participants were involved through workshops, and simulator and pod trials.
The project considered the technology required to deliver these user benefits. The FLOURISH car trials focused on the optimum conditions for the effective wireless transfer of data between vehicles and with the roadside infrastructure. This development will enable the future real-time communication of journey information to users, allowing them to make ‘on the move’ choices about their travel.
FLOURISH also examined how innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence can be used to model a networked environment which responds immediately to any changes in traffic flow. These learnings from FLOURISH will enable the operation of CAVs at network level and the optimisation of regional traffic management systems, delivering further benefits for users.
Safety is fundamental to user trust levels of CAVs. By investigating resilient and secure communications, FLOURISH is providing a road map for the cyber secure integration of CAVs within our transport infrastructure. FLOURISH also promoted trust in CAVs by extending the position of the West of England as a centre of excellence for the safe trialling of CAVs.
Aimsun set out to build, provide and test a Vehicle-to-Everything Software Development Kit (V2X SDK) that allows the microscopic simulation of connected vehicles and messaging technology within Aimsun software.
This software allows the user to take into account Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) messages in detail, allowing consideration of accuracy and time lag, allowing simulation modelling of such systems to be more accurate and insightful. This toolbox was provided to the project along with support facilities to allow its use in modelling.
Aimsun also built, with assistance from the Bristol City Council and the South Gloucestershire Council, three models of Bristol for use in project modelling activities: firstly a model of Filton Road, secondly one of the City Centre, and lastly a combined ‘big model’, which combines the previous two models with radial corridors to allow the simulation of the City as a whole.
Processing existing datasets to understand the parameters for modelling human drivers and how to extend them to create vehicle rules for CAVs.
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