Supporting CAV Development with Data

Introduction

Our Researchers in Residence activity is part of our Academic Engagement Programme and  develops new collaborations through research visits/residencies for university academics to spend time embedded within the Catapult teams to build stronger partnerships in the national innovation system and supporting the best environment for innovation.

This project is being undertaken by Robert Houghton from University of Nottingham and focuses on CAV Occupant Sensing for Reassurance and Re-manufacture.

Background

As Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Technology develops, occupant data can play an important role in providing a better and more customised travel experience. With rapid CAV development, data integration offers safety and reassurance, particularly if CAVs are to be used to create a trustworthy shared transport mode.

Given that CAVs are likely to be high-value platforms entering into a novel market sector, the same data can also be used to understand developing patterns of wider user behaviour to feed into design factors for sustainable refit, upgrade and re-manufacture activities.

From the perspective of the user, this means the more they are used, the better the experience, the better the service and the better CAVs themselves become.

In supply chain terms this speak to an interesting pattern of interaction through user data that potentially spans users, asset owners, service operators, OEMs and other stakeholders.

Solution

This project will explore and define concepts for how sensor data about CAV occupants can be collected and used to better meet the needs of occupants and operators/manufacturers. This will help overcome barriers in the transition from private vehicle ownership to a high-quality Mobility As A Service ecosystem based around CAV use.

The residence will develop concepts with the Warwick Manufacturing Group, High Value Manufacturing, Satellite Applications and Connected Places Catapults through establishing what data could be collected. It will make principled decisions about what should be collected with regard to actionable design decisions and outline pathways to the feasible exploitation of occupant data in the ongoing improvement of CAV platforms and services.