Since 21 July 2022, we have been testing intelligent mobility with Jaguar Land Rover Slovakia. On this day we were provided with a Land Rover Defender automobile for pedagogical and research purposes. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering STU considers the cooperation particularly significant and beneficial.
More information comes from Ing. Ján Danko, PhD. of the Institute of Transport Technology and Construction at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering STU.
Ing. Ján Danko, PhD., the head of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Ships and Combustion Engines, carried out an interview for the Jaguar Land Rover Slovakia magazine. Additional experts from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering STU have been included in the project: Doc. Ľuboš Magdolen, CSc., the head of the Institute of Transport Technology and Construction and Ing. Tomáš Milesich, PhD., the technical manager of the project and a member of the same institute.
In a nutshell, what is the project about and what do you expect from it? What is the project target?
The goal of the project is to verify intelligent mobility technologies in the road infrastructure environment in the Slovak Republic. It focuses on the use and potential implementation of 5G networks in transport vehicles driving on the nation’s roads with regard to traffic safety and intelligent mobility enhancement. The vehicle will be equipped with different types of sensors colleting data from the arrea through which it travels, and will measure and assess data transmission quality through the 5G network. Collected datasets will subsequently be used for further evaluation of intelligent mobility implementaion in the Slovak Republic.
What is the project duration and what role does the Defender play?
The initial phase has been completed and the essential part of the project – focusing on the elaboration of the vehicle sensoric platform for collecting measurement data - follows. The final phase of the project will have been concluded by the end of the calendar year, after processing and evaluating of the measurement data.
How do you evaluate cooperation with Jaguar Land Rover Slovakia? Is this your first collaboration with the enterprise?
Working with them is proving to be very positive, mainly thanks to the helpful approach and willingness of the experts involved. Yes, this is our first cooperatin and I hope it will also continue in the framework of some further projects.
Was the Defender the most suitable model for the project, and why exactly was Jaguar Land Rover Slovakia chosen by the faculty?
Jaguar Land Rover Slovakia was principally the only enterprise willing to meet our requirements, which we greatly appreciate. The Defender means a good option mainly from the space point of view, with room for locating of the sensors such as lidars, cameras, radars, GNSS, IMU on the vehicle roof together with our own AIL collecting and evaluating System Solution unit.
How was your first driving experience in the Defender?
The first driving was very particular as this model has right-hand drive steering, so the driver has to pay extra attention. However, we were positively surprised by its very acceptable consumption considering the weight of such a big vehicle, its spark-ignition engine and driving on a highway. We will certainly record this last parameter too, because we will be driving many kilometers on various types of roads.
