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CES 2024: Hella and TÜV Rheinland cooperate on autonomous driving

Goal of the collaboration: the development of a "Traffic Rule Engine" – a software module that knows the applicable local traffic regulations, thereby enabling autonomous vehicles to behave in compliance with the rules.

The software module Traffic Rule Engine is intended to monitor the planned actions of the vehicle and match them with the currently applicable traffic rules based on sensor and map data. (Photo: Shutterstock)
The software module Traffic Rule Engine is intended to monitor the planned actions of the vehicle and match them with the currently applicable traffic rules based on sensor and map data. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Claus Bünnagel

The automotive supplier Hella, operating under the umbrella brand Forvia, and TÜV Rheinland have agreed to cooperate in the field of autonomous driving. The goal of the collaboration is the market-compliant development of a "Traffic Rule Engine" – a software module that knows the applicable local traffic regulations and thus enables autonomous vehicles to behave in accordance with the rules.

Responsibility Shifts from Driver to Manufacturer

The partnership between the automotive supplier and the testing service provider centers on automated vehicles with SAE Level 3 and above. Vehicles at this level of development are equipped with a system that enables at least temporary autonomous driving. Drivers can therefore disengage from road traffic in certain situations and attend to other things. In this mode, the responsibility for vehicle operation shifts from the driver to the manufacturer.

“If highly automated vehicles are to manage driving situations independently and without human intervention, they must be capable of understanding and fully adhering to the prevailing road traffic rules at all times. With the Traffic Rule Engine, we establish a powerful technological foundation for this purpose and, in collaboration with TÜV Rheinland, fully cover the process chain from start to finish,” explains Kay Talmi, Managing Director of Hella Aglaia, a Berlin-based subsidiary of Hella specializing in software development.

Real-time feedback on deviations

Therefore, a software module is being developed that monitors the planned actions of the vehicle and compares them with the currently applicable traffic regulations based on sensor and map data. If a deviation is detected, feedback is provided to the driving system in real-time. To ensure that the latest traffic rules of a country are used at all times, the software module can be continuously and cost-effectively updated via over-the-air updates compared to closed systems.

Clear Division of Labor

As part of the collaboration, Hella Aglaia focuses on the development of the Traffic Rules Engine with the underlying traffic rule database and the algorithm that executes the corresponding regulations. TÜV Rheinland's main areas of focus include taking into account the approval-relevant requirements for the Traffic Rule Engine software and the type approval of automated and autonomous vehicles.

“Although rapid digitalization is significantly advancing mobility, it also presents new challenges for developers, manufacturers, approval authorities, and national and European legislators,” says Thomas Quernheim, Global Director of Engineering and Homologation at TÜV Rheinland. “We often accompany and support innovations with our expertise long before the approval-relevant stages in the product lifecycle begin. We were the first worldwide to successfully bring approvals at automation levels 3 and 4 to fruition.”

Presentation at CES 2024

The Traffic Rule Engine will be presented to the public for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show 2024 (CES) from January 9 to 12 in Las Vegas. In the next step, the development is to be extended to different automobile manufacturers. Initial target markets are the European and North American regions.

Translated automatically from German.
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