Test: Elektronische Deichsel im Roboterkonvoi I Bundeswehr

Unmanned civil driving is an absolute megatrend. Renowned manufacturers are doing a lot of research in the automobile and truck sector. The electronic drawbar studies how trucks can follow other trucks in a partially automated way, without the need for personnel, and of course we also want to make these advantages available to the Bundeswehr. InterRoC stands for Interoperable Robotic Convoy. This means that we have two trucks here, one with three axles and one with four axles, which we can now control autonomously. The entire system consists of an A-Kit, the autonomy kit, which plans the route autonomously and takes care of the following.

A B-Kit, which represents the bywire function, that is, all the communication between the A-Kit and the vehicle, as well as the C-Kit, which then takes over the communication between the vehicles and also with the soldiers. The System A kit mounted on a roof. There we have on the left and right the two laser scanners that take a 3D photograph of the environment. In the center is the TeleOp camera, which serves for teleoperation, that is, remote control of the system. Down here there is also a car radar, which also influences the perception of the environment and is also used to detect obstacles.

The by-wire kit is installed in the system. Here we have different actuators, longitudinal and transverse control, which means we can turn, we can brake, we can accelerate. But we can also display all other vehicle functions directly and drive the vehicle completely remotely. Here in the vehicle we also have various controls so that those who also belong to the C-Kit can then control the vehicle. On the one hand, we have the Birdview system, which provides an aerial view to the driver, who as a safety driver must still be on board this research project in order to operate the system and ensure safety.

Another safety element is the emergency stop button with which we can stop the vehicle when the robotics are active. For the rest, we tried to blend the system elements as closely as possible with the vehicle architecture. For example, here we have the power settings to start the entire system, but also the switch with the robot to start the robotic mode and hand over the system to A-Kit control. In front of the passenger seat is the tablet, which is then intended to be controlled by the convoy leader, who in turn controls the system through it. The first system is manned driving, meaning a driver sits there and sets the route for the convoy, while the second system follows the first vehicle autonomously along the specified route, without a crew.

In this case, the first vehicle deposits a kind of “breadcrumbs”. This is how you can imagine it and the other vehicles collect these “breadcrumbs” and follow the first vehicle on the specified route. What is saved with the "breadcrumbs": on the one hand, the distance that is saved on a route and, on the other hand, the speed of the first vehicle is also saved so that the following vehicles adapt to the speed of the leader. vehicle. If obstacles are detected on the road, following vehicles stop and wait for the obstacle to move away or be removed. Autonomous vehicles continue to follow the route and the first vehicle.

If a convoy encounters an unforeseen obstacle, for example a full tree on the road, the convoy leader from the first vehicle can teleoperate the following vehicles around the obstacle with a camera view and thus control the vehicle as requested. This first field experiment, bringing together soldiers and technology, is the beginning of a series of experiments and the goal is to carry out a follow-up experiment where we go to a military training area. Roll vehicles through the military training area and then simulate threat situations. This really means trying to recreate a logistics transport in action. And then try to control unmanned systems even under the influence of the enemy.