A new experimental platform for autonomous driving: the Sant’Anna School accelerates toward the mobility of the future
The new experimental vehicle was developed by the ReTiS Laboratory of the TeCIP Institute. Thanks to fully open software, the platform will enhance safety and environmental perception. The system has been tested on a car purchased with funds from the PNRR BRIEF project.
A new generation of autonomous vehicles, featuring a fully open and modular control and environment perception system, capable of evolving and “learning” over time. The Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa takes another step forward in autonomous driving research through the development of a software architecture that controls the vehicle and enables it to interpret its surroundings: a system that allows the integration of increasingly advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, improving vehicle safety and the ability to understand the road context.
The new system has been integrated into a hybrid car purchased by the Sant’Anna School thanks to funding from the NextGenerationEU BRIEF project (Biorobotics Research and Innovation Engineering Facilities), financed by the European Union through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The technology was developed by the ReTiS Laboratory of the TeCIP Institute (Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, and Photonics), coordinated by Prof. Giorgio Buttazzo, with the support of Prof. Alessandro Biondi, Dr. Mauro Marinoni, and Dr. Luigi Pannocchi.
“Autonomous vehicle technology still presents several vulnerabilities that hinder its large-scale adoption. In fact, both software components and the artificial intelligence algorithms employed may be subject to errors, manipulation, or cyberattacks, posing serious risks to passenger safety. It is therefore essential to invest in the development of advanced solutions aimed at ensuring the reliability and integrity of these systems,” said Giorgio Buttazzo, full professor at the Sant’Anna School.
A technological 'gym' on four wheels
The new experimental vehicle is equipped with sensors and tools that allow it to “see” and interpret its surroundings: six cameras, three LiDAR sensors, inertial systems, satellite localization systems, and an onboard computer that enables the car to be controlled via software.
Thanks to these devices and artificial intelligence algorithms, the vehicle can recognize pedestrians, other vehicles, traffic lights, road signs, and any other obstacles along its path, making driving decisions in real time.
Alongside the new vehicle, the Sant’Anna School is also developing, in collaboration with the Municipality of Pisa, an experimental road circuit that will replicate a real urban environment, complete with intersections, traffic lights, and road signage. This will be essential for safely testing new cybersecurity methodologies aimed at improving the reliability of autonomous vehicles.
A strategic investment in artificial intelligence
The new platform represents a key step in strengthening the role of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies as a leading center for research in intelligent mobility, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
It will also help enhance the outcomes of the SERICS – Security and Rights in the CyberSpace project, a partnership funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), by promoting the transfer of technologies developed in research to the industrial sector.
