FEV Turkey engineers have developed automated driving functions for TRAGGER, a new generation of battery electric service vehicles, which are aimed at cargo and people transportation in various commercial and industrial settings. Production will take place at TRAGGER’s facility in Bursa, Turkey.
In their original, non-autonomous state, the TRAGGER vehicles offer a load capacity of 700 kg (1,543 lbs.) and the ability to tow as much as two tons. When loaded, the 3.1 meters long TRAGGERs can handle a gradient of up to 17 percent and offer turning circles of 2.8 meters in diameter for superior maneuverability. TRAGGER vehicles come with two speed modes to select fast or slow velocities. A full charge can be obtained in just six hours with a traditional main current of 220V, and the Quick-Drop battery pack makes for efficient serviceability.
With their robust infrastructure, powertrain, suspension, brake, and steering systems, TRAGGER Pro series vehicles represented an ideal platform for FEV Turkey’s engineers to provide, install and calibrate hardware and software that ultimately provide Level 4 automated driving features.
Based on extensive experience and simulations, FEV Turkey’s sensor set for TRAGGER’s vehicles consists of seven LiDAR sensors, one radar device and one camera. Thanks to this setup, the vehicle can detect a 360 degree surrounding environment, separate moving objects up to 80 meters away, and calculate the probability of collision. Thanks to the high-resolution camera and AI-based image processing algorithms, the ability to parse features such as lanes, pedestrians, and obstacles allows the vehicle to move more safely in heavy traffic environment.
“New technologies are rapidly changing mobility, and here electrification, automated driving and connectivity elements stand out. Collecting experiences on the TRAGGER vehicle helped a great deal to accelerate R&D outputs,” said Dr. Taner Göçmez, Managing Director of FEV Turkey. “Also, FEV Turkey used TRAGGER vehicles for the development of highly automated driving functions to enable vehicle self-operation in a geo-fenced area. In addition, a wide range of Level 2 functions are in focus as well. These include advanced emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, lane keeping assistant, blind spot detection, parking assistant and forward collision warning.”
Autonomous driving tests of the TRAGGER prototypes are scheduled to take place in Bilişim Vadisi. Thanks to the software infrastructure and FEV designed connection module, the vehicle will be controlled over the internet network and critical data will be collected in a cloud environment.
“After developing automated driving functions for several other automotive and commercial applications, the TRAGGER vehicle project aligns perfectly with our goal to advance safe, sustainable, and easy-to-operate mobility solutions,” said Göçmez. “This is an excellent example of leveraging global resources to enhance technological capabilities in Turkey.”
“There is a great demand abroad for the advanced and environmentally-friendly vehicles we are producing. By adding elements such as smart driving and AI features to the existing vehicles, we aim to increase our export target in 2022 and believe they will be well-received in the global market,” said Saffet Çakmak, Founding Partner of TRAGGER.
SOURCE: FEV
