Government Grant Awarded To Develop Autonomous Vehicle Technology

Navtech Radar has been awarded a grant from Innovate UK to help the team carry out exciting research in the area of autonomous vehicle technology. In collaboration with the Oxford Robotics Institute (University of Oxford), the team will develop a sensor for autonomous vehicles that will provide 360-degree high resolution coverage in all weather conditions.

Navtech Radar’s all weather operations will significantly improve the capabilities and safety of the machines in difficult living conditions, when safe and reliable transportation is most critical. Automated vehicles need to be able to operate in a variety of weather conditions that change rapidly.

-Prof. Paul Newman from Oxford University

With the majority of driverless cars operating in California – a state known for its perpetual blue skies – the need for accurate situational awareness in adverse weather conditions has been largely overlooked. The current sensors used cannot accurately function in heavy rain, snow or fog. Therefore, this research will be pivotal in ensuring autonomous vehicles can perform in all environments and appeal to an international market.