Pilotless KamAZ with a complex of aero investigation of a route

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• Unmanned vehicles in Russia
• Pilotless trucks

2020: Pilotless "KamAZ" with a complex of aero investigation of a route passed 3,000 kilometers in the city

On July 3, 2020 it became known that the Russian pilotless heavy truck for 5 hours a day trains to the safe movement in city conditions and 20 times per second make 2,048 trajectories. The car can move on lack of roads without accurate maps, obtaining information on a route from own unmanned aerial vehicle.

Pilotless KamAZ with a complex of aero investigation of a route

As it was explained, specialists of laboratory of the autonomous transport systems which is a part of Competence center of NTI in the "Component Technologies of Robotics and Mechatronics" direction based on the University Innopolis began development of the cargo robotic car with the aero investigation module in 2018. During this time experts created control algorithms heavy-load cars, the localization system which is not requiring the preset accurate digital maps and the human-computer interface facilitating interaction of passengers with the unmanned vehicle.

We created the set of algorithms, approach to recognition and classification of objects and to making of routes. Our management system generates 2048 trajectories for 6.4 seconds ahead each 0.05 seconds. At the same time it considers the static and dynamic obstacles surrounding the vehicle in the range of 360 degrees at distance of 220 m. Salimzhan Gafurov, the head of Laboratory of the autonomous transport systems told

During scientific research specialists of IT university developed mathematical models of the main system modules, created an appearance and construction of the quick-detachable module with aero investigation. Experts found out that navigation in cross-country conditions can be carried out without the aid of accurate maps, for this purpose it is possible to use only a front lidar and to work on cards which are provided by the UAV.

Staff of our laboratory within this project developed and made the platform of aero investigation. The unmanned aerial vehicle can vertically fly up and sit down on this platform, in the same place it is stored and charged. The platform is located in a body and the UAV in temperature condition from-40 to +60 degrees allows to function. The drone carries out aero investigation and reports a road situation to the unmanned vehicle, on the basis of this information KamAZ also builds trajectories. Salimzhan Gafurov, the head of Laboratory of the autonomous transport systems added

Scientists made experiments and received results which provide compliance of the production truck with the automatic transmission to the third level on classification of the systems of the help of ADAS to the driver. This compliance is meant as conditional automation when from the driver instant reaction to the situations arising at the movement is not required: he should be ready to interfere during some limited time. According to developers, there is no accurate requirement for this time of intervention of the person, it depends on the scenario because driving on the yards requires bigger attentiveness, than on the highway.

For this reason we do not plan testing of KamAZ on routes yet — testing in a long distance was shown by Mercedes company in 1994, and later and other companies. The most difficult task for heavy-load cars and at the same time the least studied — navigation in the city. And we are focused on this task, for August, 2020 the car is put into trial operation and passes test on roads of Innopolis and already passed 3 thousand kilometers. Salimzhan Gafurov, the head of Laboratory of the autonomous transport systems told

Before departure developers test a system on own simulator for real roads. Innopolis Simulator fulfills different scenarios on the road, imitates the movement of traffic and pedestrians and their detection, models all necessary sensors and sensors — the radar, a lidar, cameras, GPS, IMU.

Specialists of the University Innopolis consider that in spite of the fact that the unmanned vehicle is ready to use in real life, there are restraining factors of legal character.

Still answers to key questions in the field of responsibility, insurance, implementation to big cities, infrastructures are not defined. Until we solve them, it is difficult to tell when we see this car in operation. Salimzhan Gafurov, the head of Laboratory of the autonomous transport systems concluded