AIdoptation, a technology firm based in the Limburg town of Sint-Truiden, is starting to test a fully autonomous self-driving car on the motorway. Unlike most self-driving cars, this system means you no longer need to keep your eyes on the road. “During the test drives, there is of course a professional behind the wheel who can intervene,” explains engineer Louis Jacobs.
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Flemish Tech firm tests fully autonomous car in European first: “No need for eyes on the road!”
Colin Clapson
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AIdoptation’s self-driving Maserati is a Level 4 autonomous vehicle. This means that, in theory, the driver does not need to keep their eyes on the road or hold the steering wheel. According to the company, this is the first time in Europe that such an autonomous vehicle has been tested on public roads.
The company has been granted permission to test the car on the E313 and E314 motorways in Limburg Province. In total, this covers a 100-kilometre stretch of motorway.
Completely autonomous
“This is a huge step for us,” says engineer Louis Jacobs, who is working on the project. “Now we can really test our system on the motorway.”
“Most self-driving cars are primarily designed and trained to drive in towns at low speeds. In future, this car could drive completely autonomously on the motorway. That’s a big difference, because at 120 kilometres per hour, a car reacts very differently,” says Jacobs.
“The difference compared to, say, a self-driving Tesla lies in the level of autonomy,” explains Jacobs. “With this system, as a driver, you won’t have to keep your eyes on the road any more. You can actually do something else whilst driving.”
Tests with a driver
To be clear, we’re not quite there yet. The self-driving car will now be tested on the motorway with a professional driver, who can intervene if necessary, behind the wheel.
The main purpose of the test is to check whether the car responds correctly to its surroundings. “So those tests don’t take an extremely long time,” says Jacobs.
“Of course, we also test the system under extreme conditions or for accident avoidance, but that takes place on our own premises,” says Jacobs. “We obviously don’t test things like that on public roads.”
Collaboration with car manufacturers
AIdoptation will be carrying out the tests using a Maserati. The company is only developing the system and does not manufacture its own cars. To this end, it is seeking partnerships with other car manufacturers.
“Those discussions are in full swing,” says Jacobs. “So, in the long term, we hope to be able to integrate our system into other existing cars. Although that is, of course, something for the distant future.”