Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Bosch and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia: mobility of the future in a Web Series

50 students of engineering stars of the construction of a driverless prototype for Formula SAE

Web-series of six episodes created by Bosch to tell the theme of autonomous driving through the technical aspects and values based on students’ teamwork

For their Formula SAE project, the students drew on products and technical training provided by the Bosch Group in Italy and its subsidiaries

Other partners of the project: HERE Technologies, FÖRCH, Power On, Sutter Professional, and motorsport.co

Sponsored by Regione Emilia Romagna, Municipality of Modena, Municipality of Reggio Emilia, ANFIA and Motor Valley

Bosch presents DRIVERLESS, the web-series starring the team of engineering students - MoRe Modena Racing Driverless of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, which tells the future of mobility through the creation of an autonomous single-seater to compete in Formula SAE. The latter is an educational event organised in many countries and aimed at students of universities of engineering around the world that involves the design and construction of a single-seater assessed during a series of static and dynamic tests.

In six episodes, DRIVERLESS tells the challenges and development phases of the self-driving prototype through the testimony of students of different backgrounds (mechanical engineering, computer science and electronics, business, communication and marketing) and three faculty advisors. Bosch employees also give their contribution, as well as other partners who have supported the initiative by providing products for the prototype and the workshop, as well as basic technical training. The academic project, started before the coronavirus pandemic, was developed and completed independently by the students, also through new ways of remote working and sharing dictated by the contingent situation.

The web series tells the theme of autonomous driving not only through the technical aspects at the base of the project, but also by leveraging on the intrinsic teamwork values. For the success of the project, in fact, it was necessary the constant collaboration between students, who have thus had the opportunity to develop the ability to work in a group, acquiring and strengthening those soft skills - such as flexibility and problem solving - needed to work in the constantly changing mobility sector.

"Since 2003, our University has been carrying out the 'Automotive Learning by Doing' project with excellent results, not only from the point of view of the participation of students, which over the years has been gradually growing, but also in terms of competitions, who have often seen our teams on important international podiums," explained Carlo Adolfo Porro, Rector of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. "We strongly believe that this reality represents a fundamental training ground for boys and girls who want to build their working future in the automotive sector".

"For Bosch, the Motor Valley is a strategic area for the Mobility Solutions sector, rich not only in passion and talent, but also in technological excellence," said Camillo Mazza, General Manager of Robert Bosch Gmbh Branch in Italy. "With this project we tell the future of mobility with an innovative format close to young people who will be the next players of this sector".

SENSE, THINK, ACT are the three concepts behind the development strategy of an autonomous vehicle with artificial intelligence and are the three key episodes of the web series. According to Bosch, in fact, an autonomous vehicle must have the same basic skills as a human driver, but enhanced by technology. This is why the vehicle must be able to perceive and interpret the surrounding environment and its interior (SENSE); process the information received and plan its driving strategy (THINK); move and then implement the planned driving strategy (ACT).

The project is supported by the collaboration of several divisions and subsidiaries of the Bosch Group in Italy: Bosch Powertrain Solutions, Bosch Cross-Domain Computing Solutions, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket, the Professional line of the Bosch Power Tools division, Bosch Engineering, ETAS, Bosch Rexroth, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, Bosch Sensortec, Bosch TEC Training School and the project ‘Training for the future’ of Bosch Italy. The initiative is supported by HERE Technologies, FÖRCH, Power On, Sutter Professional and motorsport.com (media partner) and has been sponsored by Regione Emilia Romagna, the Municipalities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, ANFIA, and Motor Valley.

The products and components provided by the divisions and subsidiaries of the Bosch Group have allowed students to put into practice the knowledge acquired during the university studies and to bring out new skills. In addition to the sensors, Bosch provided the team with the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which is used to measure all vehicle dynamics parameters. The high-performance electronic engine control unit (ECU) from Bosch, on the other hand, represents the "brain" of the autonomous driving prototype. To modify and calibrate the ECU parameters, students used ETAS INCA hardware and software. In addition, in order to perform diagnostic tests, Bosch supplied the KTS 250 tester equipped with the ESI[tronic] software to the students, while the hydraulic components of Bosch Rexroth were necessary to set up two systems for the management of the Emergency Brake circuit. The need to implement the braking system and the clutch of the prototype, instead pushed the students to think outside the box, adapting the use of a Bosch windscreen wiper usually used on tractor cleaning systems. In order to work safely and comfortably in the workshop, Bosch finally supplied the students with power tools from the Bosch Power Tools Professional line, with a basic training for their use.

The web-series will be available on motorsport.com website in Italian with English subtitles every Monday and Wednesday starting from 15 September

Categorie: International - english