King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Intel and Brightskies teamed up to develop a self-driving mobility platform by creating REDD, a strategic initiative that sets research inventions in artificial intelligence (AI) to culminate in a proof-of-concept for self-driving vehicles.
REDD is the product of a strategic collective initiative between KAUST Smart, Intel and Brightskies to raise the bar of the autonomous mobility challenge by transforming a traditional car into a self-driving car with an integrated artificial (AI) software program. The long-term vision of the partnership is to have an enduring, collaborative platform for research exchange to enhance self-driving technologies – the targets are in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
KAUST Smart is constantly extending the frontiers of innovation with technologies aimed at improving quality of life in the city. On June 12, KAUST Smart joined with government agencies, external partners, and enterprises from the private sector to launch REDD, a self-driving pilot project. This project develops on prior initiatives in automation at KAUST. In collaboration the three entities have combined their efforts, leveraging KAUST expertise and utilizing its campus as a live lab for this pilot project. KAUST also played a part in the design of the customer experience.
In collaboration with worldwide autonomous vehicle manufacturers, KAUST was the first institution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to experiment with autonomous bus shuttles on its campus and expanded autonomous research to drones and self-driving vehicles to address last-mile delivery challenges.
Brightskies has been the key developer of the self-driving system, driven by Intel NUC platforms.
Mohamed Abdel-Aal, director of KAUST Smart stated that the self-driving mobility platform offers a capability to develop a network of research, talent, and applied solutions within the region. He added that it is a great move towards tackling self-driving tests. The Director also said that it is also a platform that permits new and innovative ideas to grow.
The KAUST vehicle to use a Beta version of BrightDrive, a self-driving system developed by Brightskies
The KAUST vehicle would utilize a Beta version of BrightDrive, a self-driving system developed internally by Brightskies and primarily launched in 2020. KAUST researchers are projected to use this vehicle as an invention platform to implement and evaluate new procedures for a better road experience. BrightDrive comprises features essential for the safety of the autonomous trip and optimal customer experience, including environment sensing and perception, path planning and motion control, centimetre-level localization, and high-definition (HD) mapping.
Researchers will have access to data gathered by the self-driving car to help refine their existing models. Data coming from an actual car assessed on a road as an alternative from a synthetically designed scenario will advance research and in sequence, vehicle responsiveness toward the goal of making self-driving cars efficient, safe, and dependable.
The Vice President of autonomous driving at Brightskies, Hossam Yahia said that the advanced processing power and seamless integration of sensors over the Intel NUC may make this innovation a reality.
The KAUST campus is an idyllic test location since it exemplifies a small city with the kind of diverse driving scenarios that a self-driving developer needs, including standard road features such as traffic lights, traffic signs, and driving laws that prioritize safety of pedestrians, humans, and bicyclists.
To date the vehicle has been traveling through the small city around the clock, encountering unforeseen scenarios, and the advanced AI system has been successfully able to detect the environment and react in a secure and efficient way.
Intel was delighted to work in partnership with KAUST and Brightskies on AI advances for autonomous driving – a partnership that they believe is aligned with and determined to support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, stated Ahmad Al Abduljabbar, general manager of Intel, Saudi Arabia. The pilot project would also enrich the local research talent with a customizable platform for their algorithms, which will prepare them to play a role in the global automotive industry, he further added.