ERTICO Talks to Dr Ragnhild Wahl from new Partner SINTEF
ERTICO – ITS Europe: Can you describe your activities in the ITS field?
Dr Ragnhild Wahl: SINTEF is a research partner with competence in a variety of disciplines relevant for the ITS sector. We have a technological approach to our research and are experts on cooperation and coordination of real-life operational tests.
Within the area of transport we conduct research for the development of future transportation systems. We believe ITS will be an important solution to reduce road accidents and to obtain an efficient and environmental friendly transport. We combine knowledge from a vide variety of disciplines such as traffic engineering behaviour sciences and social sciences in order to carry out research tasks. SINTEF has a well established and well equipped laboratory for transport research where we can perform studies in both real traffic and in simulated environments including the use of advanced driving simulators. Exploitation of the opportunities that new technologies provide is important in much of our research for both industry and government agencies.
Research and development on ICT for traffic and transport including both the basic technologies and their applications is one of many focuses of SINTEF ICT. Main activities are focusing on system architectures and wireless communication solutions. SINTEF ICT has also been responsible for the establishment of ARKTRANS the Norwegian multimodal framework architecture for transport. The use of ARKTRANS has been successful in several national and European projects dealing with freight and passenger transport traffic management and terminal management.
ERTICO – ITS Europe: Why have you joined ERTICO?
Dr Ragnhild Wahl: SINTEF has joined ERTICO in order to cooperate with the organisation and its members in the R&D area. Our vision is to contribute to safe efficient and environmental friendly transport systems which are accessible to all. ITS is an important means in this respect. To achieve this extensive international cooperation within the R&D area is required. We consider ERTICO to be an enthusiastic ITS organisation which enables this vision come true.
ERTICO – ITS Europe: What are your expectations for this partnership?
Dr Ragnhild Wahl: SINTEF is looking forward to enter the ERTICO network and activities in order to expand our international cooperation. We are already a skilled and experienced partner within European research collaboration but have ambition beyond the present level. The ERTICO partnership will open this for up for us.
Realisation of new research projects is another expectation. Together with the numerous skilled partners SINTEF believes we can address a variety of interesting research questions by developing competitive proposals for the EU Framework Programmes or other funding bodies.
Finally the partnership will enable increased utilization of our transport research laboratory in a European context.
ERTICO – ITS Europe: Are there any projects activities or sectors that you are particularly interested in?
Dr Ragnhild Wahl: Our main interest lies within the activities towards advancing the research and development sector. Several ongoing and upcoming projects dealing with development and deployment of new technology are of great interest like for instance CVIS and SafeSpot and the upcoming FOT activities. SINTEF also wants to participate in developing future research methodology. We are particularly interested in the longer term adaptation to ADAS both as stand alone systems as well as part of cooperative systems and services. The challenge lies in finding an optimal level of automation in the control process. Safe intuitive and adaptive assistance systems and HMI solutions with little room for misuse or negative behavioural adaptation are subsets of this challenge.
SINTEF profile
The SINTEF Group is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. SINTEF’s goal is to contribute to wealth creation and to the sound and sustainable development of society. SINTEF’s vision is “Technology for a better society”. SINTEF is a skilled ITS partner with deep knowledge within the transport and the ICT sector. We generate new knowledge and solutions for our customers based on research and development in technology the natural sciences medicine and the social sciences.
Link to original Article
http://www.ertico.com/new-partner-interview-sintef/
Original Publication Date: Sat 24 Jul 2010
