Novel design concept for an automotive proving ground supporting multilevel CAV development

Abstract

Thanks to the recent evolution in science and technology, road transport is going to change radically. In the near future connected and automated vehicles will appear on the road in multiple transport modes to improve road safety. Higher vehicle automation levels rely on disruptive technologies that simply cannot be tested and approved in the currently used sustaining technologies format. As validation processes become more complicated they require a more specific and ever-changing test environment. While current autonomous vehicle test environments are developed around activities that mostly concentrate on an urban test area, every single element of the new Hungarian automotive proving ground is dedicated to the testing and validation of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). This paper will discuss the design concept, illustrating the unique points that differentiate the new Hungarian test facility from that of a conventional vehicle test track as well as from other current autonomous vehicle testing areas.