Field Operational Tests (FOT) are large-scale test programmes aiming at a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency quality robustness and acceptance of ICT solutions used for smarter safer and cleaner and more comfortable transport solutions. FOT-Net was established by the European Commission to provide a networking platform for public and private stakeholders involved or interested in Field Operational Tests. Since its conception FOT-Net has become the point of reference on Field Operational Tests their organisation set up and results.
Test Site Sweden in Gothenburg is a large-scale functional test site operating since 2008. Test Site Sweden consists of two parts one in normal traffic in the tunnels and entrances of Gothenburg and the other using three closed test tracks. Due to its northerly location climate specific testing can be performed.
FOT-Net interviews Peter Follin Lindholmen Science Park John-Fredrik Grönvall Volvo Cars (VCC) and Helena Gellerman SAFER/Chalmers about Test Site Sweden.
FOT-Net: Could you tell readers a little bit about Test Site Sweden?
Helena Gellerman: Test Site Sweden based near Gothenburg Sweden’s second largest city is operated by SAFER and Lindholmen Science Park. SAFER focuses on in-vehicle data acquisition data storage and analysis while Lindholmen Science Park focuses on road infrastructure and back office.
Peter Follin: Test Site Sweden has been the test site for several national and European projects such as CVIS SAFESPOT SeMiFOT and the on-going euroFOT. Upcoming projects include the DRIVE C2X project where several different use cases mainly safety related will be tested and the COSMO project where the “Green light optimal speed” use case will be tested.
John-Fredrik Grönvall: In terms of size and facilities Test Site Sweden compares well with other European test sites. Presently Volvo Cars supplies 100 vehicles with more to be added and AB Volvo supplies 30 trucks. There are also over 400 taxis supplying floating car data. As a car manufacturer this is a good place to test car systems with urban roads highways and test tracks close to each other.
Peter Follin: In terms of available infrastructure we of course have all the equipment from the CVIS and SAFESPOT projects. For COSMO we will have additional Road Side Units (RSUs) – possibly mobile – once talks with the city authorities are completed.
FOT-Net: What are the specific strengths of Test Site Sweden?
Helena Gellerman: There are several! First of all and the reason for the three of us being here is that Test Site Sweden covers all aspects of testing road infrastructure data acquisition in vehicles storage and analysis and the vehicles themselves.
Peter Follin: All the Swedish OEMs are present and active here – Volvo Cars Volvo Trucks Saab Automobile and Scania.
Helena Gellerman: This is something quite unique and allows us to go into new projects with a lot of confidence.
John-Fredrik Grönvall: We also have a full range of data acquisition systems currently being used in SeMiFOT and euroFOT. One particular strength here is the focus on human behaviour and interaction with the systems for instance with eye tracking – this allows us to measure benefits more exactly evaluate human distraction interference and acceptance.
Helena Gellerman: A further strength is the effort we have put into data analysis in addition to acquisition using tools developed for past projects and currently being employed in SeMiFOT and euroFOT. All the vehicle traffic infrastructure and human behaviour data can be collected and analysed here simultaneously. This is used now in the euroFOT project and will be used in upcoming projects too. As we are involved in the whole data chain – from acquisition to analysis – we are well placed to produce high quality data and also to understand the limitations of this data.
Finally Test Site Sweden also enjoys access to traffic management data in cooperation with the relevant public authorities notably the national road database and local traffic management system.
FOT-Net: What are the expected results regarding cooperative mobility?
Helena Gellerman: The expectations on the Cooperative Systems projects using Test Site Sweden are twofold. Functionality should be tested with regular drivers to assess the driver-vehicle-infrastructure interaction the driver acceptance and the benefits for different stakeholders. The result gives an idea which functions that have the highest market potential.
Peter Follin: The second area of interest is of course the ongoing debate as to which systems should be used in terms of cooperative mobility and many stakeholders have a strong interest in one or the other of these systems whether 3G 4G 802.11p… Different projects may use different approaches – DRIVE C2X for instance will use 802.11p.
It is difficult to predict which if any will emerge strongest – most likely this will have legal/regulatory aspects…
John-Fredrik Grönvall: It is important that Test Site Sweden supports all possible systems as when it comes to final deployment it is unlikely to be an either/or issue.
So we must be as open as possible.
FOT-Net: How does Test Site Sweden fit in with the broader deployment strategy?
Peter Follin: There is of course the ITS Action Plan which is Europe-wide. In Sweden we have on-going discussions regarding the strategy plan for Cooperative Systems.
Helena Gellerman: We are focusing the functionality and the benefits for different stakeholders which is the key to the deployment. There are also discussions about which technology to use and here is where Test Site Sweden also can provide value. Our strong links with the relevant authorities and the strong results we get mean that we can provide good data for the government and road authorities.
The most important thing is to make decision makers aware of how cooperative systems work and their benefits.
Peter Follin: We do this by first of all involving them secondly by showing the data and from there the benefits.
To view Test Site Sweden’s “demo theatre” first premièred at the 2009 ITS World Congress held in Stockholm follow http://www.testsitesweden.com/transport-efficiency/lindholmen-demo-theatre. The demos are set up as plays showing the advantage of the deployed technology in different “real life” situations. 
Peter Follin is Project Manager at Lindholmen Science Park previously involved with CVIS and currently with the EC projects DRIVE C2X and COSMO.
John-Fredrik Grönvall is Senior Engineer and Manager for Volvo Car Traffic Accident Research Centre and involved in SeMiFOT euroFOT and Drive C2X among others.
Helena Gellerman is Project Manager FOT/NDS at SAFER and involved in SeMiFOT euroFOT and Drive C2X.
Link to original Article
http://www.ertico.com/fot-net-interviews-field-operational-test-site-sweden/
Original Publication Date: Fri 29 Apr 2011
