Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI

By the example of the automated shuttle FLASH, the specialist audience at the North Saxony Mobility Day were able to experience automated connected driving as a future mobility solution in rural areas. Fraunhofer IVI showcased the vehicle together with the district of North Saxony, Nordsachsen Mobil GmbH and IAV GmbH. At the event, the visitors gained insight into developments regarding control centers as technical supervision units, as well as the extension of the vehicle Operational Design Domain through infrastructure assistance.

For over a year now, FLASH has been in regular service Thursdays through Sundays between Rackwitz station, Schladitzer Bucht and Biedermeierstrand, carrying everyone just wanting to get from A to B. As an integrated mobility service, FLASH is timed to connect with the local trains from Delitzsch and Leipzig, and it is incorporated into the fare structure of the Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund (Central German Transport Association).

• go to the FLASH project website (in German only)
• go to the Cooperation and Infrastructure Assistance website at Fraunhofer IVI

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) does more than just open up new potential in terms of transporting goods: if some of urban traffic goes airborne, this will also offer completely new approaches when it comes to sustainable mobility solutions. In the Fraunhofer ALBACOPTER^® Lighthouse Project, six Fraunhofer institutes are addressing the technical and social issues associated with UAM. Led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, researchers have developed an aircraft that glides in a particularly efficient way – taking inspiration from the albatross. This device and other highlights are being exhibited at the joint Fraunhofer booth (D11, in Hall B1) at the IAA MOBILITY trade show in Munich until September 8, 2023.

• read the press release

On the opening day, September 5, the President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Prof. Holger Hanselka, and the executive vice president for Research Infrastructures and Digital Transformation, Prof. Axel Müller-Groeling, visited the joint Fraunhofer booth. Together with the expert team, Fraunhofer IVI Director and ALBACOPTER^® project manager Prof. Matthias Klingner presented the current development status of the experimental aircraft.

• go to the ALBACOPTER^® website
• download the ALBACOPTER^® flyer

How can research and development innovations help farmers combat the increasing shortage of skilled laborers and junior staff? Autonomous field machines are one solution to this problem. These machines were the main focus of the »Robotics for Fruit and Wine Farming« workshop held by the Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG) on August 29, 2023 in Dresden-Pillnitz.

The participants had the opportunity to get a first-hand experience of different solutions from the field of robotics and of new approaches to, e. g., crop protection on steep slopes, 5G technology and electric charging solutions. During the event, the autonomus elWObot, a robot for fruit and wine farming, completed a number of work tasks such as mowing and mulching to demonstrate its abilities. This was the first time the robot proved its functionality in front of a public audience.

In several expert talks and at their info booth, Fraunhofer IVI scientists gave information on different developments in the field of automation in agriculture. They presented a fast-charging trailer developed especially for the elWObot and the helyOS^® control tower software that can be used to plan robot missions. In collaboration with the Chair of Agricultural Systems and Technology at TU Dresden and Computersysteme Schmidt GmbH, further trials will be conducted using the elWObot by the spring of 2024. The trials will include, among others, the targeted distribution of plant protection agents.

(Source: LfULG Saxony)

• Link to the press release issued by LfULG Saxony (in German only)
• Link to the »Automated Agriculture« website at Fraunhofer IVI