Profile
DriVe2X-Lab: An innovative research and testing platform for the development and validation of connected and automated mobility systems
Today, testing of connected mobility systems often takes place either as part of costly and time-consuming field trials or through purely simulated studies. The DriVe2X Lab at Fachhochschule Dortmund bridges this gap with an innovative, flexible, and scalable test environment that combines connected driving simulation, V2X communication, and microscopic traffic simulation in a single integrated platform.
By networking three driving simulators, the lab enables the execution of complex mobility scenarios under controlled, reproducible, and safe conditions. The combination of real-time driving simulation, realistic traffic modeling, and modern communication interfaces creates a powerful environment for validating future mobility solutions as early as the initial stages of development.
A key area of application is the investigation of cooperative and automated driving functions. These include, among other things, the evaluation of V2X message transmission, communication quality, and latency; cooperative driving maneuvers such as intersection coordination and cooperative lane changes; platooning concepts; and emergency braking and collision avoidance systems. In addition, the platform enables the analysis of mixed-traffic scenarios involving automated and conventionally controlled vehicles.
The DriVe2X Lab supports both hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing. This allows real-world components such as on-board units (OBUs), roadside units (RSUs), telematics systems, sensors, and control units for automated driving to be integrated via standardized interfaces and tested under realistic conditions. In addition, mobile communication systems—for example, those based on modern mobile communication technologies such as 5G/6G—as well as cybersecurity testing can be integrated to comprehensively evaluate the end-to-end performance and robustness of future mobility systems.
Immersive virtual reality technologies for realistic simulation of connected mobility scenarios
The integration of virtual reality technologies can further enhance the immersive nature of the test environment. The combination of networked driving simulators, V2X communication, microscopic traffic simulation, and virtual reality opens up new possibilities for multisensory and highly realistic studies of human driving behavior as well as automated mobility concepts.
The DriVe2X Lab offers significant advantages over traditional testing approaches:
- More efficient development and validation processes
- More cost-effective testing by reducing the need for time-consuming real-world driving
- Safe analysis of critical and potentially hazardous driving situations
- Reproducible test scenarios under identical conditions
Systematic investigation of edge cases without risk to people or vehicles - Comprehensive collection of measurement data for detailed analyses and training of AI models
- Metrics-based evaluation of system behavior and performance
Comparable and traceable test results through controlled test conditions
As such, the DriVe2X-Lab serves as a versatile research and development platform for academia, industry, and public institutions. Applications range from feasibility studies and preliminary investigations prior to field tests, through the development and validation of intelligent mobility algorithms, to regulatory assessments and application-oriented research projects in the field of connected and automated mobility.
Equipment
Driving simulators for realistic testing and validation of cooperative, connected, and V2X-based mobility scenarios
The driving simulator laboratory is an innovative space for testing connected mobility and V2X systems. In this laboratory, new traffic applications as well as modern technologies and communication systems are developed and tested in a realistic environment. The aim is to optimize the interaction between vehicles and the communication between vehicles and infrastructure. This is intended to promote the development of autonomous and semi-autonomous driving solutions and at the same time shape the safe, efficient and sustainable mobility of the future.
V2X communication modules
- 3x ITS-OB4-OBU units with 2x WIFI, 2x LTE, 2x V2X, and 1x GNSS (Commsignia)
- 1x ITS-RS4-RSU with 1x WIFI, 2x V2X, 1x LTE/4G, 1x GNSS, and 1x Bluetooth (Commsignia)
- Programmable attenuators for controlled simulation of wave propagation, path losses, and varying radio channel conditions
In-Vehicle Networking
- CAN
- MOST
- Automotive Ethernet
HMI concepts
- Displays / Head-Up (AGL)
- VR Headsets (Head-Mounted Displays)
Contact
Management
Prof. Hugues Tchouankem, Dr.
Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00 a.m. by prior appointment by e-mail
