ConnRAD Project

The topics of ConnRAD are divided in six work packages.

WP 0

WP 0 provides the organizational framework for the remaining work packages through effective project management and coordination of project activities. The communication exchange between the participating partners is moderated and coordinated, as well as communications and negotiations with the project executing agency (VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH). WP 0 is also used to communicate with external stakeholders, including the 6G Platform Germany or standardization committees. Robert Bosch GmbH heads WP 0, in which all partners of the ConnRAD consortium participate.

WP 1

WP 1 takes over the development of a cross-use case communication architecture, which brings together the different aspects and requirements from trust, reliability, and resilience as well as a perspective of an approval capability to ensure a high resilience of the individual subsystems and the overall system. For this purpose, the communication architecture is specified as a basis and detection procedures of misconduct and suitable countermeasures to ensure resilience are defined and integrated. These aspects are developed in coordination with WPs 2, 3, and 4, which provide the content contributions to the specification related to their topics. Due to this relationship between the different work packages, there will be several incrementally developed versions of the architecture in the ConnRAD project lifetime. WP 1 is headed by the Traffic Telematics Research Group (FGVT) of the Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar).

WP 2

WP 2 will carry out an assessment of the status quo and state of the art for separate, scalable validation and approval of products for connected, safety-critical driving functions and define regulatory and normative requirements for this. The approaches and hardware components developed in the other work packages will be evaluated regarding their eligibility for approval. To expand the current regulatory and normative framework with regard to the ConnRAD use cases, new concepts and approaches to distributed protection are considered. As an independent expert organization with many years of experience in the automotive industry, TÜV SÜD takes over the management of WP 2.

WP 3

WP 3 will develop methods and tools along the development process to support resilience-by-design. On the one hand, this is done by extending existing security/safety approaches to take resilience into account in system design (advance payment through WP 1). This also includes investigating the integration of AI methods into security and safety analysis. On the other hand, security mechanisms in operation are to be investigated and further developed to meet regulatory and normative requirements. Resilience to changing communication partners and software versions or failures of individual communication partners should be ensured concerning the exemplary ConnRAD use cases. In addition to the methods and tools, the work package also results in use-case-specific extensions and adaptations of the communication architecture from WP 1, which were developed with the help of the methods and tools. The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Design IEM is contributing its expertise from the Information and Communication Technology network to the management of WP 3.

WP 4

WP 4 comprises two complementary focal points. The first is investigating and developing methods for describing additional information that allows communication partners to assess the form in which transmitted information can be used for safety-relevant driving functions. The aim is to use the knowledge available to the sender of the information to encode its quality in such a way that a receiver can use it for a sufficient evaluation. The second focus is investigating and developing methods for the purely receiver-side evaluation of information regarding use in safety-relevant driving functions. This is done considering the highest possible overall system resilience, which excludes, for example, procedures with a very high susceptibility to failure. Both focal points are examined using the ConnRAD use cases. Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFAG) is one of the leading semiconductor manufacturers and takes over the management of WP 4.

WP 5

In WP 5, the practical implementation of the concepts from work packages 1-4 will be realized, for which the necessary protocols and proposed measures will be implemented in technology demonstrators. This is done for the ConnRAD use cases in vehicles and - if relevant - on the infrastructure side and edge and cloud servers. In addition, the use cases will be demonstrated to illustrate the functionality of the concepts developed in WP 1-4. The Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS contributes its expertise in the management of WP5.

WP 6

WP 6 will evaluate the results of work packages 1-5. This is done both at the level of the developed methods, procedures, architectures, etc. (WP 1-4) as well as at the level of technology demonstrators (WP 5). For this purpose, measurement campaigns are carried out with the technology demonstrators, and the data collected is evaluated. Based on this, it is determined what effects they have on the future development, validation, and approval of vehicles, vehicle systems, and infrastructure elements. Furthermore, where appropriate and necessary, standardization and legislation with regard to the safeguarding and approval of distributed systems for connected safety-critical driving functions are initiated or improved. In addition, the results are communicated as early as possible at specialist conferences, in committees, and to the public to initiate an exchange with them and to allow comparison with external views. WP 6 is managed by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Use Cases

We work on different use cases, which are explained in more detail on the following subpage.

Additional information with more details.

9 partners from industry and research

Project Coordination: Robert Bosch GmbH

Robert Bosch GmbH

Robert Bosch GmbH (BOSCH) develops both sensor components and integrated system solutions for the connected, automated mobility of the future. Advanced driver assistance systems use ultrasonic, RADAR, and video sensors that are developed and manufactured inhouse. BOSCH sees automated and connected mobility as a rapidly growing field of the future. In the Connectivity Solutions business area, BOSCH offers cloud-based wrong-way driver warning systems, perfect keyless systems, connected parking systems, and connected map services. Robert Bosch GmbH also strives to become one of the world’s leading companies on the Internet of Things (IoT) and wants to make life easier, more efficient, and safer for as many people as possible with connected, intelligent products and services. To this end, the current driver assistance systems are being expanded into increasingly automated and connected mobility systems. System solutions such as automated valet parking are already based on integrated connected overall system architectures. Robert Bosch GmbH is committed to the role of project coordinator for ConnRAD and manages the AP0 and WP6 work cycles.

Daimler Center for Automotive IT Innovations

The Daimler Center for Automotive IT Innovations at the Technical University of Berlin (DCAITI) is an associate institute of TU Berlin founde by Daimler. It conducts pre-competitive research in the areas of networking and automation and is also active in publicly funded projects with Daimler. The DCAITI operates its own test vehicles for the testing of perception, automation, and cooperation between vehicles. The development of connected vehicles has been significantly driven by the DCAITI for the past 10 years, among others, in numerous research projects. Through its cooperation with Fraunhofer FOKUS, the DCAITI is indirectly involved in the standardization of the next generation of vehicle-to-X (V2X) in the Car-2-Car Communication Consortium. The focus of research activities in ConnRAD lies in particular in work packages AP 2 and AP 5. In AP 2, the focus is on creating an analysis of the work required to achieve ASIL levels. In AP 5, DCAITI participates with its test vehicles in the implementation, testing, and demonstration of the developed concepts. DCAITI will also contribute to work packages AP 3 and AP 4 in order to develop the necessary procedures and protocols for resilient, reliable automated connected driving.

Fraunhofer-Institut FOKUS

Fraunhofer FOKUS, the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems, brings expertise in the areas of V2X communication, AI-based signal processing of sensor data, and services. The research group brings experience with different communication standards, such as IEEE 802.11p or ETSI ITS for direct ad-hoc communication, or 3GPP LTE including new features like LTE-V2X or 5G concepts like Mobile Edge Computing. Through its experience in developing architectures for connected and robust systems, the development of a novel architecture for connected, safe, and reliable driving functions will be one of the main activities in AP 1. Fraunhofer FOKUS will also drive the development of resilient communication protocols in AP 1. In AP 3, Fraunhofer FOKUS will work on the design and extension of existing protocols to ensure the reliability of communication partners. In AP 4, Fraunhofer FOKUS will investigate novel approaches for evaluating the reliability of communication partners. In AP 5, Fraunhofer FOKUS will implement the created architecture, protocols, and concepts for resilient cooperative automated driving functions in a suitable test vehicle.

Fraunhofer-Institut IEM

The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Design (IEM) has been working on the engineering of the future since 2011 and develops convincing solutions from the business idea to implementation and market success. In addition, the Fraunhofer Institute collaborates closely in the form of industrial projects with companies such as AUDI, BMW, DAIMLER, HELLA, Nissan, and many more. The institute’s core competencies include topics such as Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE), Safety and Security-by-Design, Innovation Management, and many more.

In the context of ConnRAD, Fraunhofer IEM sees its research contribution mainly in the area of Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE), with the help of which PMT solutions (Process-Method-Tools) for the development of a resilient communication architecture in the concept phase are presented. With MBSE approaches like RFLP or CrESt, the use cases and the system-of-interest are modeled from the requirements to the logical architecture (AP1) in a model-based way. From these initial models, Fraunhofer IEM assists in the methodical derivation of the functional system requirements (AP3) and additionally determined legal requirements from AP2. Furthermore, Fraunhofer IEM provides methods and tools for the concept phase and the detailed system design according to the principle of Resilience-By-Design (AP3) and for the focus on Dependability (AP4).

htw saar

The ITS Research Group (FGVT) at Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar) conducts research in the field of information and communication systems for intelligent transport systems. In addition to various research vehicles, it operates the ITS Test Field Merzig (ITeM) for automated and connected driving and as a real-life laboratory for testing communication systems. In addition to this communication informatics expertise in the field of ITS, electromobility, and autonomous driving, the research group is particularly distinguished by its transport and business expertise. Current projects and research efforts expand this to include socio- and techno-economic, psychological, and energy-economic aspects so that transdisciplinarity and the ability to coordinate cross-sectional projects have become the strengths of the FGVT. In WP 1, FGVT will take the lead and contribute its expertise in architecture creation and communication technologies. In WP 4, FGVT will actively participate based on its core expertise in communication technologies and collaboration with industrial partners. Through the collaboration mentioned above, FGVT will also be strongly involved in WP 6. In WP 3, FGVT will support and informatively participate in WP 2. In WP 5, a suitable verification scenario will be developed with the support of the consortium partners, which will realize the requirements specified in WP 1 as a technology demonstrator.

Infineon

Infineon designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductors and system solutions. The focus of its activities is on automotive electronics, industrial electronics, communication and information technologies, and hardware-based security. The product range comprises standard components, customer-specific solutions for devices and systems, as well as specific components for digital, analogue, and mixed-signal applications. Over 60 percent of Infineon’s revenue is generated by power semiconductors, almost 20 percent by embedded control products (like microcontrollers for automotive, industrial as well as security applications), and the remainder by radio-frequency components and sensors.

In the ConnRAD project Infineon is leading WP4 and contributes with the development of behavioral models for system simulation and the enhancement of existing hardware components in terms of scalability, resilience and reliability. Furthermore, Infineon is conducting a feasibility study regarding physical-layer security for latency-constrained systems in order to address the time criticality in the evaluation of external information that exists in safety-critical driving maneuvers.

TU München

The Chair of Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM-FTM) deals with all requirements of mobility and designs the vehicle of the future with intelligent algorithms and methods. Main focus areas in research are automated driving, electromobility and mobility systems.

Incorporating experience in the field of teleoperation, safe and reliable automated mobility systems are designed and implemented. Through industry cooperation, research is oriented towards current problems. In ConnRAD, FTM designs and supervises Use Case 3 “Teleoperated driving via mobile communication with a cloud backend”. In this case, FTM implements a technology demonstrator for teleoperated driving. This takes into account all levels of teleoperation (tele-monitoring, tele-assist and tele-driving) in order to highlight the respective requirements and safety-critical aspects. The central questions here are which data are exchanged and how their reliability can be analyzed and evaluated.

TÜV SÜD

TÜV SÜD is one of the world’s leading independent expert organizations with many years of experience in the type-approval of road vehicles as well as individual and exceptional approvals. TÜV SÜD offers a comprehensive range of services for assessing safety and cyber-security, as well as conducting related tests, certifications and training. Since 2005, we have been supporting manufacturers, suppliers and mobility providers in the development of connected, assisted and automated driving. One focus of these activities is securing and ensuring compliance with laws and standards for regular use and for testing vehicles and vehicle systems in public road traffic. With regard to the integration of external data and communication with other vehicles and with the traffic infrastructure, TÜV SÜD has extensive experience from other fields of technology, such as railroad control and safety technology. These core competencies will be significantly incorporated into work packages 2 and 5 as part of ConnRAD. With the knowledge gained from this project, TÜV SÜD will concretize the procedures for safeguarding and approving safety-critical connected driving functions and develop them towards general applicability. Furthermore, the project results are to be incorporated into the committee work in which TÜV SÜD is involved. It is planned that the findings will be applied in the relevant standardization bodies and will influence the necessary legislation and regulations in order to create certainty of action for all those involved in bringing safety-critical connected driving functions onto the market.

Universität Ulm

The Institute for Distributed Systems at Ulm University (UULM-VS) has been working on the security and privacy in connected and automated driving since 2005 and has been involved in a number of relevant research projects with a particular focus on securing C2X communication and detecting misbehaviour. In addition, the institute is involved in research on the modeling of trust relationships in heterogeneous, distributed systems-of-systems. These trust models allow the trustworthiness of individual system components to be quantified and transitively evaluated. In the context of ConnRAD, UULM-VS sees its main contribution in the development of an appropriate trust model based on Subjective Logic. This model will first be integrated into the communication infrastructure developed during the project (WP 1) and then used by connected vehicles to ensure safety, security and resillience (WP 3 and WP 4). A noteworthy challenge here is to develop techniques with which the trustworthiness of AI-based components can be appropriately assessed.