AI-Based Control of an Autonomous Agricultural Robot for Crop Protection

In both rural and urban areas, new mobility concepts will be required in the future to offer solutions that move away from private vehicle use for an aging society. This necessitates both the expansion of local public transport and the introduction of smaller transport units—deployed primarily in traffic-calmed zones and pedestrian areas—to bridge the gap between public transit and private transport. For instance, elderly or physically impaired individuals often find it impossible to travel from a public transport hub to a shop or a doctor's office located within pedestrian zones. Minibuses operating on an on-demand, shared-ride basis offer a potential solution to this issue; however, this approach is currently unfeasible due to skilled labor shortages and high personnel costs. Small, electric buses operating autonomously to cover the so-called "last mile" represent a viable future alternative for addressing this challenge.

In recent years, the Chair of Robotic Systems has developed a prototype of such an autonomous minibus capable of navigating pedestrian zones and autonomously approaching arbitrary stopping points.

The research focuses on investigating increasing safety while optimizing driving speeds in pedestrian zones or traffic-calmed areas, as well as interaction strategies between pedestrians and an autonomous bus. This involves evaluating driving directions, determining pedestrian intentions, and assessing the risk associated with specific navigation strategies.