Nissan joins ServCity, a testing ground for autonomous driving

In the UK, research on autonomous driving continues: The three-year field trial, jointly funded by the government and industry, aims to identify potential obstacles to the deployment of autonomous vehicles in cities. Following months of development, simulation, and testing on private test tracks, the "ServCity" project is now entering its next stage: The ServCity Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV), based on the fully electric Nissan Leaf, will be thoroughly tested in central London starting October 21, 2022.

To navigate safely through the streets and avoid potential hazards, the testing is being conducted at TRL’s Smart Mobility Living Lab (SMLL) in Greenwich, which is equipped with the necessary infrastructural sensors and processing power.

Combining test simulations, user feedback, and real-world tests, the potential of future mobility solutions for autonomous driving in cities will be assessed. ServCity focuses on three key areas: technology, people, and scalability. The user experience is intended to be as intuitive, inclusive, and "immersive" as possible. The project aims not only to make autonomous vehicles more user-friendly but also to demonstrate that they can respond quickly and safely to all types of everyday traffic challenges.

UK invests heavily in cooperation

ServCity is funded by the £100 million government fund for Smart Mobility, managed by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and overseen by the UK innovation agency Innovate UK. In addition to the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan and TRL, the UK innovation agency Connected Places Catapult, the technology conglomerate Hitachi Europe, the University of Nottingham, and the consultancy SBD Automotive are participating in the project. "We are very proud to be part of ServCity and to use our fully electric Nissan LEAF as a test vehicle," says Bob Bateman, the project leader at Nissan, adding:

"Our strategy aims at an electric, autonomous, and connected mobility future. Together with the ServCity partners, we are working towards this goal."

Edward Mayo, Program Manager at Connect Places Catapult, adds:

"Connected Places Catapult supports organizations in leveraging new technologies and developing new services. ServCity is a perfect example of how we can use this approach to deploy autonomous vehicles on a large scale, thereby bringing us closer to the goal of smart mobility and improved passenger and freight transport."

The tests in London are "an important milestone for the ServCity project." Lucien Linders, General Manager of SMLL, explains:

"As a world leader in shaping future transportation, TRL is committed to developing safe systems accessible to all. The Smart Mobility Living Lab is a realistic urban testbed whose street-side sensor infrastructure and facilities support the development process of autonomous vehicles."

As the flagship urban test facility CAM Testbed UK in London, we are in a "unique position to test future mobility services and prepare for their commercial deployment."

"The European R&D group of Hitachi focuses on tackling the complex technical challenges associated with autonomous driving in urban areas," says Nick Blake, Chief Innovation Strategist at Hitachi Europe, adding:

"As part of the ServCity project, we are developing technologies for predicting and safely responding to other moving objects such as pedestrians, cyclists, and cars, as well as providing precise localization solutions."

Gary Burnett, from the Chair of Transport Human Factors at the Human Factors Research Group at the University of Nottingham, explains:

"Our team has extensive experience in conducting and analyzing user studies to evaluate human-computer interaction. We look forward to our role within ServCity to develop theories, models, and methods for the user experience of vehicle occupants. To this end, we will ensure that the design and development of the autonomous vehicle service is user-centered and truly meets customer needs."

And Andrew Hart, Director of SBD Automotive, confirms:

“Robotaxis have the potential to fundamentally change mobility for both customers and the cities they operate in. The user experience is at the heart of this change: operators must carefully balance customer expectations with real technological constraints. SBD is proud to be part of the ServCity project and to bring our decades of practical experience working with automakers to define and test various approaches for a seamless robotaxi experience.”

What does this mean?

After a period of quiet around autonomous driving and robotaxis, the topic is gaining momentum again. However, the fundamental question remains: What benefit do users gain if there is no more contact person in the taxi, resulting in the disappearance of jobs? Because human labor is once again deemed "too expensive"? Especially considering it has to be replaced by extremely complex and costly technology?