Autonomous Vehicle Networks

Data61 provides expert advice and technical leadership in establishing a connected vehicle test bed that provides a research platform for developing futuristic technologies and investigating complex issues facing connected vehicles.

The Challenge

Connected vehicles are being touted as the next generation of technology to reduce the road toll. From worldwide trials, a number of challenges and research opportunities are emerging. Data61 is well positioned to contribute in critical areas such as network communication performance between moving vehicles in realistic and variant environments, positioning accuracy, data privacy and security, and traffic movement and management.

Our Approach

Data61 has been heavily involved in a test bed deployment of connected vehicles and traffic signals in partnership with Transport for NSW. Providing technology leadership and project management, Data61 has helped deliver Australia’s first semi-permanent test bed, known as CITI. CITI provides a significant and unique research platform for Transport for NSW and Data61 to investigate a number of fundamental problems for connected vehicles. With a particular interest in the areas of wireless communication, data privacy, positioning and traffic movement, Data61 is embarking on research leveraging our leadership in the test bed and using real world dataset.

Research

Wireless Communication

Data61 has a number of researchers with expertise in wireless communication. Understanding the network performance of the connected vehicle communication, especially in challenging road environments and conditions will be a key to improving performance. Data61 is starting by examining how well messages propagate in the challenging environments in which the test bed operates.

Data & Privacy

Connected vehicles broadcast position and movement information to each other so they can calculate the risk of collision with another vehicle. While standards seek to address simple privacy concerns, significant privacy and security issues remain to be further studied.

Positioning

Early data from CITI indicated a significant issue with positioning and it had a large impact on the safety alert delivery. Data61 has significant skills in positioning, which will be applied to connected vehicles in the future.

Note: The CITI test bed is operated by Transport for NSW with contribution and support from Data61