Overview
Arctic testing ecosystem for intelligent transport and automated driving is being built in Finnish Lapland. The improvement of highway E8 is underway to meet the requirements of the public test area.
The Aurora test ecosystem is designed for verifying and validating of new ITS solutions and innovations in real extreme weather conditions. Situated above the Arctic circle, Aurora offers a unique test location for validation, marketing and assessment of impacts and performances of intelligent transport automation.
Aurora focuses on four main areas:
1. Arctic testing for intelligent transport automation
Automation and robotisation of the transport sector are ongoing global trends. For the commercial use of automated vehicles new solutions and innovations need to be tested and verified in varying weather conditions including also extreme weather cases.
In order to move from autonomous driving to snowtonomous driving, the Aurora test ecosystem offers two-level testing facilities. On the first level it is possible to test on safe and secured tracks closed from traffic and suitable even for early phase prototype testing. In the second stage, tests can be carried out also among other traffic as current Finnish legislation already facilitates advanced automation on public roads. More information about automated vehicle trials on Finnish public roads can be found here: https://www.trafi.fi/en/road/automated_vehicle_trials
2. Digital transport infrastructure and connected cars
The Aurora test ecosystem enables testing of various digital transport infrastructure (DTI) and connected cars initiatives. DTI and connected cars allow transport-related message delivery between the road users, the service providers and the authorities in a standard telecom netwrok. In the first stage safety-related information services are tested in the region.
The reindeer warning pilot project started in June 2016. A-year-long pilot is aiming at reducing collisions with reindeers and the long term target is to cut the collisions in to half by 2020. More information about the reindeer warning pilot can be found here (in Finnish):
3. Intelligent infrastructure asset management
Intelligent transport automation provides new opportunities and challenges for infrastructure asset management. The Aurora test ecosystem is opened for testing new and innovative technologies and solutions for road maintenance and asset management.
4. Mobility as a Service
The Aurora test ecosystem is a test bed for future mobility solutions such as Mobility as a Service in which all users' major transport needs are met over one interface and are offered by a service provider.
The Ylläs Mobility as s Service pilot project (YlläsMaaS) aims at flexible and affordable mobility services for tourist and locals without car dependency in the Ylläs area.
- These are steps creating the project:
- Precise mobile positioning
- Extensive telecommunications network
- Intelligent highway E8 with ITS-equipped test sections
- Network of more than 20 private and public sector members
- Project management services