AWARD partners worked together for 3 years.
The first year of the project was focused on the identification of end users’ needs to get requirements regarding the use cases and the global system architecture: Stakeholder needs and requirements for the AWARD Autonomous Goods Transportation Systems (AGTS) had been identified. Completeness and representativeness of stakeholders’ and users’ groups had been assured by defining a comprehensive stakeholder taxonomy that was taken as a reference frame for data gathering and analysis. The detailed ODD (Operational Design Domain), which consisted of elements describing the physical infrastructure, the environmental conditions, and the operational constraints of the automated vehicles, had been created to provide a reference base for the functional requirements.
In parallel, the technical work packages WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5 workshopped to provide a driverless heavy-duty vehicle with the right safety level, associated with a fleet management and supervision system to optimize logistics operations: The ADS system used the AWARD sensor set to feed the localization and perception software functions. Radar localization was used as a redundant localization source modality to the odometry, GNSS/RTK, and LIDAR localization functions. Object output from the stereo and thermal camera systems, coupled with powerful analysis embedded algorithms, as well as radar object detection, increased the vehicles' performances towards “all-weather” real-time object 360° detection and synthesis. The AWARD team performed specific safety-oriented analyses (HARA, safety goals, and functional safety concepts were defined). The AWARD ADS was compliant with the 4 AWARD platforms (from the luggage tractor to the forklift), which demonstrated the high level of scalability of the solution and ensured a “standardized” solution, adaptable to various HDVs. AWARD fleet management design was completed in accordance with the use cases and in coordination with the team's objectives. Interfaces/connections to the surrounding systems, including the logistics systems (e.g. Terminal Operating System API), road units and sensors (traffic lights, gates, weather stations), and the different platforms were defined. The API development was supported by simulation to validate software development and demonstrate how the fleet manager would access the different streams of data. A major achievement was the first successful test of the AWARD FMS in controlled testing grounds at the EasyMile Francazal proving ground. This opened the way for the first successful deployment of the FMS for AVINOR (Airport use case).
Then, the implementation of the pilot projects occured in 2023, and shewed interesting results of a luggage tractors running in Oslo Airport, a forklift loading/unloading
To provide insights and recommendations on the standardization and harmonization of certification processes and type approval at the EU level and on regulations that ensure both safety and economic viability of automated transport systems.
The consortium mainly worked on the demonstration of the economic viability of automated transport. The study focused on the business analysis of all different deployment opportunities related to connected and automated heavy-duty vehicles in real-life logistics operations. Analysis of the market and competition was performed as well as a benchmark of existing HDV (Heavy Duty Vehicle) platforms in logistics environments.
AWARD promotion during events (VDI ELIV, EUCAD, TRA, RTR) around Europe. Dedicated conferences scheduled in SOLUTRANS (Lyon - France), Brussels, etc.. Regular posts (special events, milestones, plaftorm logistic operations, surveys) communicated through AWARD webpage and social media such as LinkedIn.
