L3Pilot

• Start date: 1 September 2017
• End date: 31 August 2021
• Funder: EU Horizon 2020
• Primary investigator: Professor Natasha Merat
• Researchers: Dr Tyron Louw, Dr Yee Mun Lee, Dr Ruth Madigan, Dr Mahdi Rezaei
• Project website: http://www.l3pilot.eu

Automated driving technology has matured to a level motivating a final phase of road tests which can answer key questions before the market introduction of the systems. The European research project L3Pilot tests the viability of automated driving as a safe and efficient means of transportation on public roads. It will focus on large-scale piloting of SAE Level 3 functions, with additional assessment of some Level 4 functions. The functionality of the systems will be exposed to variable conditions with 1,000 drivers and 100 cars across ten European countries, including cross-border routes.

The technologies being tested cover a wide range of driving situations, including parking, overtaking on highways and driving through urban intersections. The tests will provide valuable data for evaluating technical aspects, user acceptance, driving and travel behaviour, as well as the impact on traffic and safety. With the comprehensive piloting of automated driving functions in test vehicles, L3Pilot will pave the way for large-scale field tests of series cars on public roads.