Master Student Project Group SWIFTdrive (co-Simulated Wirelessly Integrated Framework for Teleoperated driving) successfully completed

18.12.2024 -

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Group picture of the SWIFTdrive project group members from Augmented Reality perspective. The view shows converged real and virtual elements of the developed teleoperation framework.

In December 2024, the SWIFTdrive project group (short for co-Simulated Wirelessly Integrated Framework for Teleoperated Driving) presented its results to the members of CNI. The project group, part of the master's programs in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology as well as Automation and Robotics, provides a group of students with a challenging scientific task collaboratively. As part of SWIFTdrive, a team of nine students developed and implemented a cutting-edge framework for teleoperated driving, seamlessly integrating a scaled laboratory test track with advanced simulation environments. The project group was inspired by the chair's 6G research in the BMBF research hub 6GEM and implemented a digital network twin for simulating future 6G wireless communication enabled by the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology.

Motivated by the need for safer and more efficient testing environments for teleoperated and autonomous networked driving systems, the SWIFTdrive project group developed an integrated framework combining scaled real-world robotics with advanced digital twin simulations. This approach reduces costs and risks associated with full-scale testing while enabling robust evaluation of teleoperation, including the early assessment of 6G research concepts and recent proposals from the international research community.

Two core goals were addressed to achieve this: First, scaled-down robotic platforms based on the F1TENTH system were designed and equipped with modular hardware, including 3D-printed mounts, various sensors, AI processors, and communication hardware. These platforms facilitate safe and controlled testing of teleoperated driving and sensor integration. Second, a co-simulated digital twin environment was created to evaluate future 6G technology approaches like Reflective Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) and the resulting communication performance. That way, students got in touch with cutting-edge 6G research conducted at the chair. This digital twin supports real-time testing by emulating constrained communication characteristics and optimizing system responses to varying network conditions. Furthermore, Augmented Reality (AR) glasses were effectively used to mirror the partial simulation in the real world.

The group also implemented advanced features such as containerized software for rapid reconfiguration and deployment, a monitoring dashboard for real-time system diagnostics, and a Model Predictive Control (MPC)-based platooning algorithm to enable precise and scalable vehicle coordination. The created SWIFTdrive framework demonstrates the potential of combining physical and virtual systems to not only innovate mixed teleoperated and automated driving technologies but also integrate recent advancements in 6G research, ensuring safe and efficient system development for real-world vehicular applications based on the ongoing research on wireless communications.