ITEM – Innovative Technologies Electric Mobility

MR Bremen-Oldenburg – New Mobility in Rural Regions: Applied Electric Mobility – Innovative Technologies Electromobility

EO2 (Photo: Timo Birnschein, DFKI GmbH)
EO2 (Photo: Timo Birnschein, DFKI GmbH)
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The aim of the subproject ITEM – Innovative Technologies Electromobility – was the further development, design, and construction of an electric vehicle as technology demonstrator of the future. Apart from a changeable morphology, this vehicle also allows autonomous actions, such as automatic parking and automatic docking at charging stations. RoadTrains can be set up by docking the vehicles to each other, thus improving the range of all drivers. Sensors in and on the vehicle offer complete navigation systems including intelligent route planning, depending on the destination, the state of charge of the battery, and the traffic, among others.

Duration: 01.10.2011 till 30.06.2014
Donee: German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH
Sponsor: Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development
NOW GmbH
Grant number: 03ME0400G This project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. The program coordination is carried out by the NOW GmbH National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.
Partner: H²O e-mobile GmbH, Fraunhofer IFAM, Deutsche Telekom AG
Application Field: Electric Mobility
Related Projects: Model Region Electric Mobility PMC: Modul 2
Intelligent Integration of Electric Mobility (10.2009- 09.2011)
New Mobility in Rural Regions
Applied Electric Mobility – Technology Concepts – Mobility effects (10.2010- 03.2014)
Related Robots: EO smart connecting car
EO smart connecting car further development in subprojekt ITEM

Project details

EO2 docking interface
EO2 docking interface head
The aim of the subproject ITEM – Innovative Technologies Electromobility – was the further development, design, and construction of an electric vehicle as technology demonstrator of the future.

In these times of ever increasing speed, today’s mobility concepts demand a thorough revision. Growing traffic density and rising fuel prices, but, above all, air pollution in urban areas requires new solutions and new ways of thinking. The vehicle developed within this project is a technology demonstrator equipped with abilities which makes driving in narrow transport areas not only more comfortable and stress-free, but also more relaxed.

In terms of development philosophy, the vehicle called EO smart connecting car 2 is equivalent to a robot with a seat platform. It is equipped with the necessary sensors and computing capacity to exactly understand and navigate in its closer surroundings as well as in its global environment. Based on the traffic situation, but in consideration of the destination and, above all, the remaining battery capacity, routes will be calculated that not only guarantee reaching the destination but also optimize energy consumption. With newly developed technologies vehicles can be mechanically and electrically docked to each other so as to transfer data as well as electric power from one vehicle to the next. Furthermore, it is thus possible to steer several vehicles at a time and to drive in the slipstream. This way, traffic jams can be reduced and large quantities of energy can be saved.

Apart from controlling the vehicles, focus is on traffic maneuverability. In addition to standard degrees of freedom such as driving and steering, EO smart connecting car 2 can change its height and length, can be steered both at the front and at the back, can turn around on the spot, and drive diagonally or even sideways. With these characteristics, EO smart connecting car 2 is able to automatically dock on charging stations and to maneuver autonomously in a narrow parking space. It is, furthermore, perfectly suitable for narrow transport areas such as urban traffic, since parking or automatic docking can be performed smoothly and autonomously in no time, and obstacles can be bypassed without the necessity to put into reverse.

Videos

EO smart connecting car 2: Overview

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EO smart connecting car: Demonstrator-Video (Video: Timo Birnschein, DFKI GmbH)

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last updated 11.09.2024