More safety in bad weather: research from Ingolstadt provides impetus for future vehicle tests

Rain, fog or low sun can quickly push modern vehicle systems to their limits. Cameras recognise obstacles later, sensors provide less accurate data and braking distances are longer on wet roads. This is precisely where the international "WeatherSafe" consortium, in which THI and its research institute CARISSMA-ISAFE played a key role, came in.

Protected against bad weather? “WeatherSafe” investigated how automated driving functions can continue to operate reliably even under challenging weather conditions (Photo: UTAC).

Over a period of three years, researchers worked with international industry and academic partners to investigate how difficult weather conditions affect automated driving and safety functions. The aim was to develop principles and guidelines for future vehicle tests to make vehicles safer and more reliable even in conditions of limited visibility or poor road grip.

"Adverse weather conditions are one of the biggest challenges for automated driving functions. The results from 'WeatherSafe' provide concrete suggestions for future standards. If such criteria are incorporated into evaluation and test procedures, there will be a clear incentive for manufacturers to design their systems to be more robust and thus noticeably increase safety in real road traffic," explains Professor Thomas Brandmeier, Scientific Director of CARISSMA-ISAFE.

The investigations were based on in-depth analyses of real accident and weather databases. The focus was on situations including heavy rain, glare from low sun and slippery road surfaces. From this, the participants derived representative test scenarios that will serve as the basis for future risk analyses and vehicle tests. The project also analysed the influence of adverse weather conditions on modern environmental sensor systems.

From virtual simulations and innovative test methods in indoor weather chambers to testing on test tracks, the consortium investigated numerous possibilities for exposing vehicles to defined environmental conditions in a targeted and reproducible manner. In the process, CARISSMA-ISAFE also organised a workshop at the THI with specific tests in the research centre's indoor weather chamber.

At the end of the project, the participants developed five guidelines on how the evaluation of modern driving systems under adverse weather conditions can be tested and validated in the future. The knowledge gained is to be incorporated into future regulations, ISO standards and NCAP protocols.

The industry-funded "WeatherSafe" consortium was led by UTAC and Applus+ IDIADA. Participants included Aptiv, Carissma-ISAFE, Cerema, Denso, Messring, Michelin, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nissan, RISE, Stellantis, Toyota, Université Gustave Eiffel, VUFO and others.

Video summary:https://youtu.be/tyGIHBWh3NQ?si=C7J7-tHsK80irzGM

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