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

  • Transportation applications move to machine vision’s mainstream
    June 11, 2015
    The adaptation of machine vision to transport applications continues apace. That the machine vision industry is taking traffic installations seriously is evident by the amount of hardware and software products tailor-made for ITS applications that are now available on the market. A good example comes from US-based Gridsmart Technologies which has developed a single wire fisheye camera that provides a horizon to horizon view for use at intersections. Not only does the single camera replace four or more in a
  • Report highlights community impact of new mobility options
    March 29, 2018
    Local authorities and communities must understand the impacts of the new mobility options and regulate to get the transport systems they want, according to a new report. Colin Sowman takes a look. Outside of the big cities plagued with congestion, the existing transportation system(s) often cope adequately, and the ongoing workload (maintenance, safety…) is more than enough to keep local transport authorities busy. Is it, therefore, a good use of public service employees’ time to keep abreast of the raft
  • Cruise says it 'fell woefully short' in aftermath of October 2023 collision
    January 26, 2024
    Law firm report into reaction to AV incident in San Francisco finds 'mistakes in judgment'
  • Developing ‘next generation’ traffic control centre technology
    July 4, 2012
    The Rijkswaterstaat and Highways Agency have joined forces to investigate what the market can do to realise an idealistic vision for traffic control centre technology. Jon Masters reports One particular seminar session of the Intertraffic show in Amsterdam in March was notably over subscribed. So heavy was the press to attend that your author, making his way over late from another appointment, could not get in and found himself craning over other heads locked outside to overhear what was being said. The