Minister appoints Ordnance Survey to take lead in ECAVE project to support development of CAVs
Ordnance Survey (OS) has been appointed by Business Secretary Greg Clark to help shape an infrastructure to support a nationwide network of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).
The national mapping agency is to lead a four-year project named E-CAVE as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, aimed at supporting the testing and introduction of the vehicles.
It will also contribute to a series of CAV testbed projects under the Meridian programme.
OS said it has been chosen to lead the work due to its record in providing precise location data, which is important in enabling CAVs to communicate efficiently with each other and traffic management systems. It already works with the sensor and visual image technology being adopted by CAVs to help them navigate, and has previously worked with the Highways Agency and local authorities on road data.
The main thrust of ECAVE will be on identifying the requirements and standards needed for the safe operation of CAVs. The evidence it will gathers will be used in vehicle testing and the development of government policy.
The project will include the use of a CAV development platform vehicle to investigate how they understand and communicate their position relative to other vehicles and the surrounding environment.
Evidence based insights
Nigel Clifford, chief executive officer of OS, said: “This project will provide the UK Government with evidence based insights to speed up the deployment of connected environments in the UK.
“In addition to this, the learning we gain will show the UK to be an exemplar, and the infrastructure design which comes from this activity can be scaled up and used internationally.
“We believe there is an opportunity to attract inward investment. Our primary aim though, is to ensure driverless vehicles will be connected and collaborating to ensure the safety of the public at all times.”
Image from Ordnance Survey
