CONNECTING: Control Tower for Autonomous Vehicles

Project 2020 - 2023 Closed

CONNECTING will develop, test and implement a novel control tower function in order to remote control autonomous vehicles.

The project will demonstrate the benefits and business models of the control tower model and validate the potential of the concept. It will contribute to achieve the long-term goal of healthier, more accessible, sustainable and livable Nordic cities by removing the last hurdle for truly self-driving mass transport: the current need for an onboard safety-steward.

The goal of the project is to develop protocols and software for connecting to and remote operating fleets of self-driving vehicles from different manufacturers. It is in the best interest of the society as a whole that we develop a system which is capable of handling remote control and sending missions to all types of automated vehicles, rather than manufactures develop proprietary systems incapable of handling other vehicles than their own.

The innovation potential for both public and private partners in the project is substantial. The goal is to commercialize the technology to give the private companies involved a competitive advantage in a rapidly growing global industry and secondly, to promote its introduction to other projects around the Nordic region.

Public transport authorities around the region will stand to save on their operating costs, or expand their transportation services to include new areas, previously not profitable or during off-peak hours where regular manned buses have not made financial sense.

Norway is currently hosting one of the most ambitious and largest deployments of autonomous vehicles across all of Europe. This presents a unique opportunity to build and test an effective control tower function which will act as a remote human assistance- and monitoring-unit for a fleet of vehicles including sending missions to the vehicles for on-demand pick-ups by passengers.

This consortium has leading Nordic partners in key functional domains which not only ensures access to critical competencies for implementation and close customer access, but each organization would also be a critical player in realizing the Nordic and global business potential of the project.

Project background

The CONNECTING project is co-funded through the second Nordic Smart Mobility and Connectivity call for proposals under the Nordic Smart Mobility and Connectivity program.

The aim of the program is to help develop a more sustainable and connected transport system in the Nordic region while generating opportunities for Nordic businesses. The program is one of the efforts with which Nordic Innovation seeks to fulfil the Nordic prime ministers’ vision of Nordic region as the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030.