Skip to main content

TRL's DigiCar driving simulator becomes fully automated

As the path to acceptance of automated vehicles on the UK’s roads moves forward, so does TRL’s role in developing robust research tools to provide the necessary evidence as to the human response to automation and its general acceptance by the driving population. Behind the scenes, TRL experts have been working on developing the software required to enable the transition of DigiCar to run as an automated vehicle as and when required. As a result, TRL’s full mission driving simulator, DigiCar, has devel
November 18, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
As the path to acceptance of automated vehicles on the UK’s roads moves forward, so does 491 TRL’s role in developing robust research tools to provide the necessary evidence as to the human response to automation and its general acceptance by the driving population.

Behind the scenes, TRL experts have been working on developing the software required to enable the transition of DigiCar to run as an automated vehicle as and when required.

As a result, TRL’s full mission driving simulator, DigiCar, has developed into a partially or fully automated vehicle.

DigiCar provides the transport sector with a sophisticated research tool to understand driver behaviours and reactions to environments both within the vehicle itself and outside. Offering a totally safe driving experience, DigiCar provides a platform for repeatable testing, gathering accurate data for analysis and dissemination, enabling Governments, manufacturers and others to make informed decisions regarding the introduction of vehicle automation.

Dr Nick Reed, Principal Human Factors researcher at TRL and vehicle automation expert said:  “We are delighted to have completed this development using a flexible web-based platform to enable partial or full automation of DigiCar. This opens the potential for a range of studies to investigate how automation of the driving task will affect driver behaviour and how transitions between vehicle automation modes are understood by drivers.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Machine vision’s image of road management’s future
    June 11, 2015
    Q-Free’s Marco Sinnema looks at how the commoditisation of high-quality vision-based solutions is widening their application. Machine vision technology’s entry into the ITS/traffic management sector has followed a classic top-down path. This is unsurprising given the extremely demanding performance criteria which are the standard in its market of origin, manufacturing processing. Very high image qualities combined with frame rates often in the hundreds per second range resulted in vision systems with capabi
  • Virginia Tech reveals vested interest
    May 9, 2019
    New ITS systems on either side of the Atlantic – such as an intriguing piece of connected clothing – aim to reduce the casualty toll among road maintenance personnel, says Alan Dron t’s not a lot of fun working on road maintenance or road construction worksites. By definition, you’re out in all weathers. You’re not popular with motorists, who blame you for hold-ups. It’s frequently physically arduous. And, worst of all, the sector has an unenviable record of injuries - even fatalities. Often working jus
  • UK plans changes to AV Code
    April 20, 2022
    Drivers can view content 'not related to driving' - but mobile phone use still illegal
  • Dynamic lane closures cuts time, cost and congestion on Motorway roadworks
    March 17, 2014
    A combination of technologies is leading to major congestion and cost reductions during roadworks on the UK’s motorway network. Innovative construction programme scheduling technology and the deployment of moveable barriers has achieved substantial savings of money and time on UK motorway roadworks managed by the Highways Agency (HA). This combination has set the scene for a new generation of road usage analysis tools. The HA’s objective was to reduce the congestion caused by lane closures during roa