The goal of BARCS (Bavarian Autonomous Remote-Controlled Shuttle) is to develop a concept for the economic operation of autonomous shuttle buses through the use of teleoperation and the advancement of existing technologies.
In this context, the development of a test vehicle and its evaluation are of particular importance. Ultimately, the project also aims to investigate the technical and user-related requirements for highly automated vehicles in order to integrate autonomous shuttle buses comprehensively and economically into public transport (ÖPNV) throughout Bavaria through appropriate developments.
By the end of the project, initial foundations for teleoperated/locally autonomous operation are to be established in order to serve low-frequency public transport routes with minimal resource deployment. These objectives are to be achieved on a functional platform, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), 3D environment detection and object recognition, as well as sensor fusion of various 3D sensors such as stereo cameras and LIDAR.
THI is responsible for the work package “Requirements, User Needs, and Acceptance of Teleoperated Operation.” The objective of this work package is to identify the user needs of autonomous shuttle bus users and to specify requirements for the in-vehicle HMI in order to support users of the autonomous (operator-less) shuttle in teleoperation mode, address prevailing concerns, and create acceptance for its use.
BARCS – The Future of Autonomous Driving in the Region
The BARCS project will continue to be self-funded through the CARISSMA Research Center (C-IAD) as well as funds from the AIMotion Bavaria project. In the coming years, the autonomous shuttle will be deployed on two defined routes:
- In the KIVI triangle area for data fusion and technical development
- On a campus route between THI and Esplanade for acceptance research and teleoperation.
The goal is to continuously improve the technology and gain practical insights into the integration of autonomous shuttles in urban areas.
