Reason & Motivation

The development and testing of the technologies and functionalities required for automation in inland waterway transport necessitate a robust research infrastructure that can be adapted to different levels of technological maturity throughout the development process. To this end, the provision of a modular, configurable virtual testing and validation platform is an indispensable complement to real-world test beds.

Such a virtual test field not only allows for the early testing of automation components but also enables the risk-free conduct of safety-critical investigations, particularly of rare events that can only be carried out in real-world operations at high cost and with significant risks. Virtual testing also offers the opportunity to investigate a wide range of events in a short period of time with relatively little effort. The development and availability of a virtual test field is therefore an important prerequisite for ensuring the high level of safety required for automated driving.

While developments and demonstrators in real-world test environments are subject to a valid legal framework (laws and regulations) that, for the time being, does not yet exist for automated ships or systems, development and testing in a digital test environment can begin immediately, even without a valid legal framework. Given the potential of automation and the limited time available for research, this structural advantage is of extraordinary value.