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32 Dossier | 2getthere third-generation shuttle Parent company ZF provides 2getthere with high-performance, high-integrity ECUs along with sensors including cameras, radars and Lidar that come with validation evidence, van der Zwaan says. ZF is also the source of equipment to connect the vehicles to 4G and 5G networks, as well as smart roadside infrastructure. Need for speed Today, 2getthere’s vehicles operate at speeds of up to 40 kph in segregated environments, and Lohmann remarks that the ability to run at up to 50 kph will be a safety requirement in mixed traffic. That is likely to be a measure to reduce the likelihood of holding up other buses and so on. Other autonomous vehicles tend to run at 10-15 kph when operating around vulnerable road users, but 2getthere’s philosophy is different. “Where possible we like to run at up to 40 kph, just to make sure we achieve a certain transport capacity and to go with the flow of traffic,” van der Zwaan says. “Our vehicles and perception systems are designed to operate at those speeds, meaning that when they run at higher speeds they look further ahead.” Cyber security Protecting autonomous vehicles from cyber threats is the subject of new sets of standards such as PAS 1885:2018 from the British Standards Institute and ISO/SAE 21434, for which 2getthere is preparing. However, the company also applies some general principles of good basic practice. For example, the servers that run the system are all deployed in private, hidden and secure networks, while the vehicles communicate with the fleet management system over protected and encrypted wi-fi or private 4G systems. Protecting the fleet management software is critical, as 2getthere regards it as an important differentiator that also hosts a lot of the intelligence that moulds the fleet of vehicles into a coherent transport system. It uses machine learning to work out the best plan for their use, based on their availability and demand in the area at the time. It also integrates the fleet with controls in the infrastructure, including charging, smart traffic lights and screen doors installed at stops for safety, as well as interfaces with operators in control rooms and request-for-service apps on passengers’ smart phones. To further protect the software, 2getthere doesn’t do over-the-air (OTA) updates. With current deployments involving modest numbers of vehicles – the maximum is 40 so far – handling software updates within maintenance routines is manageable, van der Zwaan says. “While scaling up and preparing for the future though, we will need to consider OTA updates and will have to comply with new cyber security standards,” he adds. “We will be looking at that on our development roadmap.” Verification and validation Obtaining clearance to transport the public in Level 4 autonomous vehicles without a safety driver aboard requires certification. Obtaining certification involves independent safety assessors examining the company’s approach to hazard mitigation, and strict management of software releases. No changes to the software, particularly that which implements safety-critical functions, can be made without going through a complete verification and validation scheme. That is in line October/November 2020 | Unmanned Systems Technology The Lidar scans a 120 º sector ahead of the vehicle, with all-round sensing at shorter ranges left to a combination of other sensors Where possible we like to run at up to 40 kph, just to make sure we achieve a certain transport capacity and to go with the flow of traffic