In its statement, INFRA stressed that an automated means of transport can fall outside the operating environment assigned to automation functions even in situations where automation can normally be used, such as on a road construction site. In addition, INFRA took a position on the narrowing and rutting of lanes.
Background
On October 8.10.2019, 2020, the Ministry of Transport and Communications launched a project to prepare an operational and legislative plan for traffic automation. The goal is to complete the plan in the summer of XNUMX. The work will draw up a plan covering all modes of transport, with the help of which the aim is to create a comprehensive understanding of the questions that must be answered in national and international decision-making in the near future.
The areas examined in the project are the utilization of information, the digital and physical traffic infrastructure required by automation, the technical automation development of means of transport, the growing importance of traffic control and management services and other traffic nodes, legal issues and regulation, and supporting experiments and piloting. The utilization of information from the project's sub-areas and the digital and physical traffic infrastructure required by automation have been preliminarily considered in the preparatory work within the administration sector during 2019.
On the basis of the preliminary preparation, the evaluation memorandum that was now in the opinion has been drawn up, with the help of which the aim is to create a basis for the development and maintenance of a common situational picture.
Summary of the statement
INFRA ry emphasized the following points in its statement.
Regarding the physical infrastructure, the goal was to form an understanding of what changes to the infrastructure required by automation would be needed in general in different modes of transport, in what schedule, and whether making changes makes sense, especially in an input-output analysis.
An automated means of transport can fall outside the operating environment assigned to automation functions even in situations where automation can normally be used. One example is a road construction site, which is a subject that changes depending on time and place, even on high-class roads that support automation (e.g. motorway). For such cases, a mechanism should be developed to predictably and safely switch from automation to human-controlled vehicle control.
Regarding the physical infrastructure, the memorandum had stated that on newly built medium-lane highways, costs will be saved by narrowing the lanes and minor roads, in which case it may be necessary to take care of the evasive spaces later. We found the conclusion partially wrong. Narrowing the driving lane causes significantly faster rutting. Costs can be saved by directing automatic traffic to consume the lane surface evenly.
More information
Director Juha Laurila
juha.laurila@infra.fi, tel. 050 412 3637