Autonomous Vehicles Reach a New Milestone Thanks to the Collaboration Between Groupe PSA and VINCI Autoroutes

  • Groupe PSA and VINCI Autoroutes have tested new autonomous vehicle features in Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines (France), following on from the trial carried out in July 2017, which led to the crossing of a tollgate in full autonomous mode for the first time.
  • The driving situations tested in this new phase of the common programme require more sophisticated communication between the autonomous vehicle and road infrastructure. The goal is to improve the vehicle’s ability to adapt its driving in exceptional or complex situations.
  • This operation is part of a collaboration between the two partners, which began in 2016. The results of these trials will feed into the standardisation work that will be carried out in various collaborative projects such as C-Roads or the SAM Project, to which both groups contribute.

SAINT-ARNOULT-EN-YVELINES, France--()--Regulatory News:

On 11 July, VINCI Autoroutes and Groupe PSA (Paris:UG) have deepen trials to assess a vehicle’s ability to drive autonomously at cruising speed and pass through a tollgate in autonomous mode. Two new complex driving situations were also tested in real traffic conditions on the VINCI Autoroutes network:

- changing into autonomous mode in a traffic area temporarily altered due to roadworks;
- performing a “safe stop”, which involves the vehicle driving to a safe place in the event that the driver does not take back control in a specific situation (exceptional presence of obstacles on the road, severely deteriorated weather conditions, etc.) or in case of the end of the motorway.

These trials were carried out on the A10 and A11 motorways between Dourdan and Ablis using a Groupe PSA Peugeot 3008 prototype, which is part of the autonomous vehicle fleet for the AVA “Autonomous Vehicle for All” programme.

Carla GOHIN, Groupe PSA’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “This trial is an additional step towards the deployment of autonomous vehicles. Two years after the first trial, the aim was to include even more constraints in the use cases by strengthening communication between the autonomous vehicle and the road infrastructure in order to broaden the scope of the system's action while ensuring safety. These trials demonstrate the innovative and practical nature of the collaboration between Groupe PSA and VINCI Autoroutes, which is vital for the development of autonomous vehicles.”

“Smart motorway infrastructure is an essential asset in the development of autonomous vehicles. It enhances the contextual data shared with the navigation system to optimise the vehicle’s decision-making abilities and route,” said Pierre COPPEY, Chairman of VINCI Autoroutes and Executive Vice-President of VINCI. “In this respect, our collaboration with PSA is full of promise. The motorway network offers a life-sized testing ground for new mobility solutions that will revolutionize road use in the future.”

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About Groupe PSA

Groupe PSA designs unique automotive experiences and delivers mobility solutions to meet all customer expectations. The Group has five car brands, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall, and provides a wide array of mobility and smart services under the Free2Move brand. Its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic plan represents a first step towards the achievement of the Group’s vision to be “a global carmaker with cutting-edge efficiency and a leading mobility provider sustaining lifetime customer relationships”. An early innovator in the field of autonomous and connected cars, Groupe PSA is also involved in financing activities through Banque PSA Finance and in automotive equipment via Faurecia.

Media library: medialibrary.groupe-psa.com / @GroupePSA_EN

About VINCI Autoroutes

Vinci Autoroutes is Europe’s leading motorway operator under concession. Every day, over 2 million customers travel on the networks of its six concession companies: ASF, Cofiroute, Escota, Arcour, Arcos and Duplex A86. A partner of the French government and local authorities, Vinci Autoroutes serves 10 regions, 45 departments, 14 cities, over 100 towns with more than 10,000 residents and thousands of rural communities located near its concessionary network across France.

Key figures: Network of 4,443 km of motorways – 187 service stations – 266 rest areas – 320 toll plazas. All this information is available on: Vinci Autoroutes radio (107.7), www.vinci-autoroutes.com, facebook.com/VINCIAutoroutes, Twitter @VINCIAutoroutes, www.fondation.vinci-autoroutes.com, or by telephone at 3605, 24/7 (complimentary service + price of the phone call).

Contacts

Media contacts:
Groupe PSA:
Claudia Raynaud – +33 7 61 87 68 92 – claudia.lefevre@mpsa.com
Alain Le Gouguec – +33 6 42 59 27 84 – alain.legouguec@mpsa.com

Vinci Autoroutes:
Samuel Beauchef – +33 6 12 47 58 91 – samuel.beauchef@vinci-autoroutes.com

Clothilde Mbock-Mbock/VAE Solis Communication – +33 6 29 94 55 34
clothilde.mbock-mbock@vae-solis.com

Contacts

Media contacts:
Groupe PSA:
Claudia Raynaud – +33 7 61 87 68 92 – claudia.lefevre@mpsa.com
Alain Le Gouguec – +33 6 42 59 27 84 – alain.legouguec@mpsa.com

Vinci Autoroutes:
Samuel Beauchef – +33 6 12 47 58 91 – samuel.beauchef@vinci-autoroutes.com

Clothilde Mbock-Mbock/VAE Solis Communication – +33 6 29 94 55 34
clothilde.mbock-mbock@vae-solis.com