Visteon is putting highly automated and autonomous driving functions to the test in Karlsruhe and surrounding areas. On May 3, the company took part in the official launch of a new test field for connected and self-driving technologies in Baden-Wuerttemberg, where it showcased its autonomous driving platform, DriveCore™, along with a new autonomous development vehicle.
At the focused event, Visteon joined industry players, local dignitaries and the media as they shared the objectives for the center and introduced the infrastructure of the new test area. Led by Prof. J. Marius Zöllner from research institute, Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI), opening speeches were made by Frank Mentrup, mayor of Karlsruhe; and various government ministers, while the official inauguration of the test track was conducted by Mentrup, Winfrid Hermann, minister of transport; and Thomas Strobl, minister of interior, digitization and migration for Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Providing a brand new state-of-the-art facility, the center will cater to technology companies and research facilities who are aiming to test the entire spectrum of future-oriented technologies and services focused on networked and automated driving in everyday road scenarios. Self-driving cars will also be running on the autonomous driving test field in Baden-Württemberg, manned by security drivers.
Visteon also presented its latest autonomous vehicle at the event, a development platform based on an Audi A6 and equipped with complete sensor technology. The vehicle is fitted with cameras, as well as radar and LiDAR sensors to capture its surroundings, while featuring Visteon’s DriveCore™ hardware and software platform.
In-house developed algorithms which build on the latest findings in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) are used for object recognition, tracking and decision-making. With this equipment, Visteon’s autonomous vehicle is able to master different driving scenarios as they occur in day-to-day traffic.
Joining companies such as Daimler, Bosch and Schaeffler in demonstrating their latest technology solutions, Visteon enjoyed extensive discussions on the DriveCore™ platform approach to autonomous driving.
The Karlsruhe-based technology center is one of three global Visteon locations, which drive innovations and state-of-the-art cockpit electronics technologies forward. This also includes autonomous driving, where Visteon offers its own hardware and software solutions.
The autonomous driving team is responsible for new developments of central control devices for autonomous driving applications and plays a leading role in integrating teams located around the world in the design of sensor fusion, object recognition, autonomous driving planning and controlling in addition to the use of AI.