Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility (MACAM)
Project team
Collaborators
- Conigital Limited LEAD
- University of Warwick
- West Midlands Combined Authority
- DL Insurance Services Limited (DLG)
- dRISK.AI Ltd
- Coventry University
- Coventry City Council
- Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
- National Exhibition Centre Limited (The)
- IPG Automotive UK Limited
Project duration
February 2023 - February 2025
Value to Coventry University
£384,917
Project overview
The Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility (MACAM) project is a collaborative initiative led by Conigital. It encompasses a multi-city, multi-operator, and multi-purpose self-driving trial. The concept is to operate self-driving fleets that provide passenger and logistics services across two sites (the NEC and Coventry University).
The 5G-based, Remote Monitoring and Tele-Operation (RMTO) service will support the self-driving solution. This technology ensures a safe and seamless transition to autonomous driving. The RMTO provides the pathway to L4 self-driving capability, (i.e. self-driving in defined operating design domains without human supervision being required), and will eventually remove the need for an onboard supervisor entirely.
The project will culminate in an extended trial across both locations, transitioning from having engineer supervisors on board to eventually operating without a driver in the vehicle.
Specific research about passenger valuations and future pricing of our L4 vehicles will be undertaken. Our goal is that by the end of the project, there will be a clear route to commercialisation at the NEC and Coventry University. Following this trial, we hope to expand from these two locations and continue services beyond the project on a fully commercial basis.
Coventry’s role is threefold in MACAM. Firstly it is supporting the remote tele monitoring and operation with human factors research and safety case assessment and assessing participant experience in the deployment trial phases. Secondly it is supporting the safe operation of the trial through assessment of cybersecurity risks. Finally it is acting as an operator to trial the automated delivery of mail on the University’s City campus routes.
Project objectives
The self-driving platform will be enhanced to a High Driving Automation, L4 capability with the intention to remove the on-board supervisor from the vehicle - leveraging Remote Monitoring and Teleoperation (RMTO). To this end extensive verification and validation will be conducted within the project in the areas of: 1) The evolution of the simulation environment; 2) The utilisation of edge cases to enhance the AV performance; 3) Consideration of specific RMTO operations and associated minimum risk manoeuvres; 4) The completion of an in-depth safety assessment based on operations without an on-board operator. The project will culminate in an extended three phase trial across both (NEC and CU) locations.
Phase 1 - with engineer supervisors on-board; Phase 2 - with trained supervisors on-board; Phase 3 - with remote monitors and tele-operators only.
Impact
The outcomes from this project will also benefit academic institutions outside of the consortium by demonstrating the role that UK academia can have in supporting UK plc and associated industrial partners. Knowledge generated in the programme will be used to promote the academic agenda in fields where the UK has potential for a strong global position for many years to come. The interaction between users and automated technology is a fundamental component of advanced vehicle technology development, and as such case studies from the project will also be included within Coventry University's wide range of taught programmes, from undergraduate automotive engineering through to MSc level professional programmes, including Coventry's new MSc in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles in association with HORIBA MIRA Ltd.
