French vehicle manufacturer Groupe PSA has partnered with Vinci Autoroutes – the motorway management division of construction firm Vinci Group – to trial the behavior of an autonomous vehicle in real-world motorway scenarios.
The trials included assessing the vehicle’s ability to autonomously drive at cruising speed and pass through a tollgate; changing into autonomous mode in a traffic area temporarily altered due to roadworks; and performing a ‘safe stop’, which involves the vehicle driving to a safe place in the event that the driver does not take back control of the vehicle when prompted.
These trials were carried out on the A10 and A11 motorways between Dourdan and Ablis, France, using a Groupe PSA Peugeot 3008 prototype, which is part of the autonomous vehicle fleet for the Autonomous Vehicle for All (AVA) program.
“This trial is an additional step toward the deployment of autonomous vehicles,” said Carla Gohin, chief technology officer, Groupe PSA. “Two years after the first trial, the aim was to include even more constraints in the use cases by strengthening communication between the autonomous vehicle and the road infrastructure in order to broaden the scope of the system’s action while ensuring safety. These trials demonstrate the innovative and practical nature of the collaboration between Groupe PSA and Vinci Autoroutes, which is vital for the development of autonomous vehicles.”
Pierre Coppey, chairman of Vinci Autoroutes and executive vice-president of Vinci, added, “Smart motorway infrastructure is an essential asset in the development of autonomous vehicles. It enhances the contextual data shared with the navigation system to optimize the vehicle’s decision-making abilities and route. In this respect, our collaboration with PSA is full of promise. The motorway network offers a life-sized testing ground for new mobility solutions that will revolutionize road use in the future.”