Autonomous Road Maintenance

The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) pilot Autonomous Maintenance Procedures and Machines is a part of the project portfolio of City & Lab, which is a concept of collaboration where technology is viewed as a tool for sustainable urban development.

For the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, it is the overall goals of the National Transport Plan regarding accessibility, transport safety, climate and the environment that are driving forces for projects undertaken in City & Lab.

The cooperation City & Lab has formulated a number of competence goals within technology and autonomy that will contribute to these goals. Most applicable for this ITS pilot is:

Build experience and knowledge

– with the authorities, relating to the operation of autonomous machines and vehicles

– about the technology and what it can enable in relation to transport in the city and altered use of streets and urban areas

– on data capture using autonomous machines and vehicles and associated sensors

– about modular system for prediction and learning through sub-contributions to development of Autonomous Mobility Enabler – AME

– about 5G and piloting in collaboration with Telenor, through documentation of experiences and testing of V2X communication with the various vehicles and machines.

– about interaction between technology and urban development through the concept City & Lab.

Give input to

– new road standards for «digital roads» for autonomous transport

– next edition of National Transport Plan in relation to autonomous transportation and city packages

– development of methods for evaluating traffic safety, accessibility, and attractiveness for all road user groups in relation with the implementation of autonomous vehicles and cooperative ITS

– new legislation for autonomous vehicles

Share

– experiences with the Norwegian environment and with project partners in EU projects

– experiences with interaction between technology and urban development through the concept City & Lab

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PILOT

For the project Autonomous Maintenance Procedures and Machines, the goal is to be able to contribute with expertise and experience for increased accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists through autonomous operation and maintenance throughout the year. The goal is to achieve this in an environmentally acceptable manner, while at the same time attaining a strong focus on road safety.

An important part of the improvement process for the maintenance procedures is to collect real-time data from performed maintenance, and compare this with measurements of conditions and weather forecasts so that effective measures can initiated in time. Areas and methods for loading/unloading sand, salt and snow, shall be examined, as well as charging methods and maintenance of the machines.

Data must be collected from both manual and autonomous machines, meaning that equipment such as an app or other on-board equipment must be used in order to send data to the platform. For registration of the conditions at stops, data from vehicles, app, or dedicated sensory can be used.

FORMULATED HYPOTHESES

In cooperation with the R&D project BEVEGELSE (movement) and Kongsberg municipality, we want to test autonomous maintenance machines for maintenance procedures for pedestrians and cyclists. A light machine is desired, to for example sweep pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths, in closed and/or open test arena. Kongsberg municipality identifies relevant areas.

Testing helps to elucidate the following issues:

1. Autonomous maintenance machines may be appropriate where it is difficult to operate manned vehicles.

2. Autonomous maintenance machines can in the long term contribute to reducing staffing costs related to maintenance of pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths.

The R&D program has formulated the hypotheses, and is responsible for the evaluation of the testing. City & Lab plans, sets up, and conducts the testing in close dialogue with BEVEGELSE.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL TRANSPORT TARGETS

Accessibility

Automation can lead to more frequent maintenance and thereby make accessibility predictable and visible to the public.

Traffic Safety

Good accessibility and maintenance reduces dangerous situations in traffic.

Climate and sustainability

The more people who choose to walk, cycle, or travel collectively year-round instead of driving, contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved public health.

DESCRIPTION OF EXPECTED WORK PROCESS

Learning and insight through

– Workshops as a knowledge base

– Collaboration across actors in City & Lab

– Utilization of the entire project portfolio in City & Lab

Design and testing in

– City & Lab – Open Test arena

– City & Lab – Closed Test arenas

Evaluation through

– Reporting

– Follow-up research initiated by the R&D program MOVEMENT

ORGANIZATION

Autonomous Maintenance Procedures and Machines are a pilot in the ITS program in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. The pilot is also a close cooperation with R&D BEVEGELSE (movement) and the project Smart City- Smart mobility, with project manager Arve Kirkevold. Olav Madland (Applied Autonomy AS) is responsible for implementation through the R&D contract with Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Region South. Elisabeth Skuggevik reports to the ITS program.

Autonomous Maintenance Procedures and Machines is part of the City & Lab project portfolio. City&Lab is a collaboration concept with a team, with a collective project manager responsibility. The various participants in the team are responsible for carrying out various projects in the project portfolio, depending on academic background and expertise.

Project Manager: Elisabeth Skuggevik, Norwegian Public Roads Administration, elisabeth.skuggevik@vegvesen.no