MEET THE SAFE-UP PARTNERS
VIRTUAL VEHICLE (ViF)
Who belongs to your SAFE-UP team?
In SAFE-UP, VIF is leading the development of safety assessment methodologies (WP5). Our team includes WP leader Stefan Kirschbichler, alongside Christoph Klein, Peter Wimmer, Harald Kolk, Dominik Breitfuß, Oliver Zehbe, Jonas Pucher and Werner Leitgeb, who all combine their expertise from the Vehicle and Road Safety department. Our main focus is on the optimisation of Human Body Models (HBMs) in the active safety systems phase, which includes a series of tests with volunteers in reclined seating positions, and controller development. We’re also leading the overall impact assessment task in which we’re working closely with all other WPs involved in the demonstrators and utilising their methods and know-how to demonstrate the benefits of the developed SAFE-UP systems.
What does ViF bring to the project?
VIF is mainly working in two areas: HBM modelling and impact assessment. Based on our many years of experience with human body models, we’re focused on the verification and validation of occupant models, particularly on pre-crash occupant kinematics. Furthermore, based on the knowledge and experience from other national and international projects, as well as our key experience with simulation, VIF will set up an overall assessment method for demo 3 and support the method development for a systematic combination of simulation and test results with the rest of the SAFE-UP team.
Why did you want to take part in SAFE-UP?
The ambition to work in SAFE-UP was to collaborate on a highly ambitious research project with innovative objectives and a strong, highly-qualified consortium. Furthermore, the project addresses all topics that we cover in the ViF Vehicle and Road Safety Department, so we can bring our special know-how. ViF addresses smart mobility and, in particular, the vehicles of tomorrow, which shall be safe, environmentally friendly, and affordable. Hence, cutting-edge research and technology development is essential, and simulation is key to opening new possibilities. ViF provides a close linkage of numerical simulation and experimental validation and offers comprehensive system simulation up to the complete vehicle. The Vehicle and Road Safety department has many years of experience in developing passive and active safety simulation methods for - amongst others - HBMs, Anthropometric Test Devices (ATDs), Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), restraint systems, full vehicle structures and component testing, test bench development, and integrated simulation and impact assessments.
Which other initiatives are you involved in?
ViF is currently working in close collaboration with over 80 industrial partners and, in addition to our principal scientific partner, more than 40 international university research institutes. We’re involved in several EU projects and also have experience in coordinating such initiatives, like OSCCAR (www.osccarproject.eu), which ended in November 2021 and dealt with future occupant safety in AD vehicles. The comprehensive results of this project will contribute to a reduction in the number of road fatalities, the severity of injuries, and the number of inured persons. VIF is also coordinating and contributing to HADRIAN (www.hadrianproject.eu) and InSecTT (www.insectt.eu). HADRIAN implements a novel approach to creating automated driving systems that integrate human drivers, vehicles, and road infrastructure. InSecTT aims to create trust in AI-based intelligent systems and solutions as a major part of the AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things). In addition, VIF was also involved in HEADSTART (www.headstart-project.eu), which concluded in December 2021 and defined the testing and validation procedures of Connected and Automated Driving (CAD) functions, including key technologies like communications, cyber-security, and positioning.
Related deliverables
D2.5 DESCRIPTION METRICS FOR TRAFFIC INTERACTIONS
D2.6 USE CASE DEFINITIONS AND INITIAL SAFETY-CRITICAL SCENARIOS
D4.2 ARCHITECTURE OF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS