Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research
About the centre
The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research (CCAAR) is a collaboration between HORIBA MIRA and Coventry University. Located at the MIRA Technology Park, CCAAR is concerned with developing intelligent, connected vehicle technology in response to the ever-changing challenges faced by the transport sector.
CCAAR’s core objectives are to:
- Provide an environment to simulate, test and evaluate the security and safety of Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAV).
- Undertake research to accelerate the development of new products and services in the CAV segment.
- Produce a pipeline of talent to support growth of the CAV segment.
CCAAR draws expertise from both academic staff members and doctoral research students, besides HORIBA MIRA’s engineering and test teams. The Centre plays a critical role in bridging the skills gap in an industry that is increasingly turning towards intelligent solutions as the demand for CAVs grows worldwide.
CCAAR has a long track record of successful collaboration with a range of partners across the transport sector and is always interested in exploring new strategic relationships.
Facilities
CCAAR benefits from access to HORIBA MIRA’s world-class facilities and technologies, including a range of information and communications technology and specialist laboratories. With in-house facilities combining the real and virtual worlds for CAV, the Centre utilises a suite of simulators that interact with ‘living laboratory’ environments.
Overview of key infrastructure and technologies available to the Centre:
Vehicles
- StreetDrone Level 4 autonomous Nissan eNV200 (x2)
- Ford Fiesta research vehicle (for Secure Systems testing)
Software and Hardware
- DSPACE Scalexio HiL Simulator
- IPG Carmaker
- Mathworks Roadrunner
- CARLA
- PTV Vissum
- Altair Hyperworks
- LS-Dyna
Simulators
- Multiple immersive and augmented reality ground vehicle driving and passenger simulators
Infrastructure
- CCAAR office and vehicle workshop (shared facility with HORIBA MIRA)
- ASSURED CAV (Highway) CAV proving ground (shared facility with HORIBA MIRA)
Work with us
CCAAR offers unparalleled access to expertise and testing facilities in a rapidly expanding research area.
The Centre is part of the Connected and Automated Mobility Testbed UK ecosystem, Zenzic. CCAAR is part of the national strategy to establish the UK as a global-leading centre of excellence for the development, testing and commercialisation of CAVs. Below are some of CCAAR's most significant projects:
Assured CAV (Highway). The Trusted Intelligent Connected Autonomous Vehicle consortium (TIC-IT), is part of the national strategy to establish the UK as a global-leading centre of excellence for the development, testing and commercialisation of CAVs.
This is a £32M project part funded by CCAV (UK Government) for the establishment of a world class Connected and Autonomous Vehicle testing facility. Key points:
- Purpose built, realistic, safe environment for testing CAVs up to the limit of their operability
- A critical activity to ensure consumer confidence in new technologies
- The test environment will be unique, enabling a wide range of CAV driving scenarios to be tested
Assured CAV (Parking). The purpose of this project is to create a bespoke and realistic, controlled set of parking environments to test and support the development of current and future connected and automated parking solutions. The facility is supported by a ‘digital twin’ so users can create and run parking scenarios using simulation techniques in the virtual world.
Park-IT will be flexible allowing increasing complexity of use cases for parking scenarios. It will investigate V2X communication connectively for efficient communication and parking assistance including:
- Wireless V2X physical layer simulation
- Co-existence of multiple V2X technology
- Network layer co-simulation
Additional projects: DIGICAV and Midlands Future Mobility.
