Study mission in the USA on autonomous vehicle testing resources

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To answer these questions, the testing and approval methods working group (part of the New Industrial France (NFI) programme’s autonomous vehicle cell), compiled an inventory of the testing resources available in France, along with an analysis of their capabilities. With regard to the global strategy on an international scale, a study mission to the USA took place in late 2017, to tour the main American test centres, and to meet key players in autonomous vehicles.

The mission involved the following stakeholders: RATP, LUTB, Renault trucks, IRT SystemX, Transdev, Transpolis, and Cerema (Clermont-Ferrand Lab) as part of the NFI - Test Methods & Approval group.

The states of Michigan and California are home to the most test centres, and also facilitate temporary experiments on the open road. The group toured two test sites:

• The American Center for Mobility, under construction near Detroit, Michigan (0.5 square miles),

• Gomentum in California, a facility spanning 8 square miles that is already operational, near San Francisco.

The mission also shed light on:

• The American regulatory and legislative framework, with the director of Michigan's Department of Transport

• An academic point of view, with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley

• And the outlook for economic development with the Boston Consulting Group and other engineering and design agencies

The lessons learned on this benchmarking mission, carried out under the aegis of Cerema’s Science and Technology and European and International Affairs Department, will contribute to the intelligent transport systems research team’s scientific programme.

A report from the NFI Autonomous Vehicle group is expected soon.