Conekt: New AutoTaxi website

TRW CONEKT LAUNCHES NEW AUTOTAXI WEBSITE

BIRMINGHAM, UK - 16th September 2003 - A new website, www.auto-taxi.co.uk, has been launched to provide information about the AutoTaxi project. AutoTaxi, a collaborative project between TRW Conekt, Advanced Transport Systems Limited, Praxis Critical Systems Limited, Bristol University and Warwick University, aims to develop a safety critical sensor system for Personal Rapid Transit Systems. The AutoTaxi project is part of the Foresight Vehicle Link Programme, a UK initiative focused on developing technologies for use in mass-market vehicles by 2020.

The AutoTaxi system is being developed on an innovative transportation system known as ULTra, which addresses urban transportation through the use of autonomous lightweight vehicles operating on a segregated track. A novel sensing system will be developed to provide robust detection of the vehicles? environment by combining information from different sensing technologies using novel data fusion techniques. The goal is to prototype a cost effective sensing suite that can be developed for the second generation of ULTra. With this sensing suite vehicles will be able to safely travel closely together leading to greater passenger throughput.

Dr Alastair Buchanan, Portfolio Manager, TRW Conekt, and Project Coordinator for AutoTaxi, said: "The problem of urban transport has long been in need of re-evaluation as we move forward into the 21st Century, and there is a great need for new technology to address transportation problems we currently face such as traffic congestion. The AutoTaxi project will provide important new enabling technologies leading to increased safety and performance, being applicable to both passenger vehicles and new transport systems. For instance, the sensors are being developed to operate in all environmental conditions, while the approach to sensor fusion targets safety critical applications that will appear on new vehicles in the near future. TRW Conekt have for many years been involved in research and development of sensors such as video and radar which are now appearing on the market in passenger vehicle applications. The purpose of the AutoTaxi project is to develop the next generation of these sensors."

The project partners bring in-depth knowledge of transportation systems, advanced sensing systems and safety engineering to the project. ATS have expertise in the field of urban people moving transport, culminating in the ULTra project that has successfully tested and demonstrated an innovative urban transport system in Cardiff. Praxis Critical Systems has built its reputation on the development of high integrity and safety critical systems for use in the transport and defence sectors. TRW is a world leader in automotive safety systems and advanced sensors and has recently launched systems as sophisticated as Adaptive Cruise Control and Electric Power Steering onto the market. Bristol University has applied experience of data fusion health monitoring techniques used in aerospace systems, and the University of Warwick brings its extensive experience in image processing and three-dimensional computer vision.

AutoTaxi is a two-year collaborative project of a consortium comprised of TRW Conekt, Advanced Transport Systems Limited, Praxis Critical Systems Limited, Bristol University and Warwick University. Regular updates can be found on the Internet at www.auto-taxi.co.uk.

TRW Conekt is the consultancy arm of TRW and brings together key services in engineering, knowledge and technology. TRW Conekt has operated in the automotive, aerospace, professional and industrial sectors for almost 40 years, generating major competitive advantage through the generation of new ideas and the application of science and technology in product development and manufacturing. TRW Conekt news is available on the Internet at www.conekt.net.