Start of Impulse Project 4 "AVENUE"

Cooperation partners are DEKRA Automobil GmbH and FSD Fahrzeugsystemdaten GmbH - as a central body according to the StVG (Road Traffic Act). The project is divided into two main research areas: traffic accident reconstruction and periodical technical inspection (PTI), which is known in Germany as the main inspection according to § 29 StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations).

Traffic accident reconstruction

The focus of this research is the extraction of digital traces from (electric) vehicles involved in accidents as well as the reconstruction of the influences of driver assistance systems (FAS) and automated driving functions (AF) on a traffic accident sequence. Due to the close cooperation with the accident analysts of DEKRA Automobil GmbH, it is possible to obtain valuable information from real traffic accidents. Furthermore, a test vehicle is being procured at CARISSMA, which is to be built up into a test platform with measurement technology. This vehicle will be
used to simulate real accident scenarios, especially with pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter drivers, under different environmental conditions. The focus here is on Proving Ground and Vehicle-in-the-Loop tests. In addition, research is being conducted on the visualization and "experienceability" of traffic accident events, especially in the area of driver interaction with FAS and AF. This is done in order to be able to present difficult technical circumstances in a comprehensible way for judges, affected parties and their lawyers, etc. in the context of court proceedings. In addition, work is being done on the development of a Forensic Event Data Recorder, which is to be installed in the test vehicle and will record accident-relevant data.

Periodical Technical Inspection (PTI)

Up to now, the functionality of driver assistance systems can only be checked to a very limited extent as part of the main inspection. For this reason, AVENUE will develop methods for checking both FAS, AF and C2X communication in the future as part of a more advanced PTI. The aim is to prevent traffic accidents and thus increase vehicle safety. FSD Fahrzeugsystemdaten GmbH has been acquired as a competent research partner in this field. As a central body under the Road Traffic Act (StVG) of the Federal Republic of Germany, it is responsible for the development of innovative technologies for testing current and future vehicle systems.

The topics of traffic accident reconstruction as well as PTI topics are strongly interdisciplinary and therefore offer the ideal opportunity for a cooperation on the level of the impulse projects as well as cross-institute cooperation. We are very much looking forward to this in the next four years.