IRT SystemX, in partnership with SNCF and Alstom, has launched a 24-month project in the domain of guided land transport with the aim of automating the observation functions of a train driver. The IRT will provide the scientific support needed to carry out this very complex project. The intended solution will combine different types of sensors, offer an advanced feature of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and will be tested virtually in the laboratory through total modelling.
Friday 7 April 2017 marks the launch of the Safe Autonomous Land Transport project (TAS) by SystemX in partnership with SNCF and Alstom. The project aims to provide proof of concept of the automation of a driver’s observation functions, accompanied by a practical demonstration.
The functions of observation are key to the safe operation of a transportation system: distinguishing between road signs, spotting a pedestrian on a platform, monitoring defects on a passing train, or recognising objects on tracks with very high operational security levels. The project will draw on the scientific expertise of the Technological University of Compiègne (UTC).
The objective of the TAS project is to design a system of environmental perception, based on a combination of complementary sensors (radars, Lidar cameras, etc.). At first, this system and its environment will be modelled in a laboratory to test the technological choice criteria of the sensors and carry out preliminary virtual validation using an iterative approach. This will be followed by life-sized site tests on a SNCF locomotive between Villeneuve Saint-Georges and Montereau.
“The integrated multi-stakeholder research model that makes up the essence of the IRTs is perfect for this type of project, which requires scientific support with a view to industrialisation. At SystemX, our teams have recognised expertise in the field of artificial intelligence and methodologies for the processing of images applied to transport, as well as expertise in virtualisation and simulation to validate and certify the security of these types of systems. Our agility and speed of execution will enable us to produce an automaton in less than 18 months, then carry out its functional demonstration on site within 24 months at most,” explains Eric Perrin-Pelletier, Managing Director of SystemX.
