Students from Hanze and University of Groningen learn from each other in Self Driving Challenge

On Thursday 25 May, students from the SDC teams from Hanze University of Applied Sciences and the University of Groningen presented their knowledge and experience on autonomous transport at Digital Society Hub on the Zernike Campus. The teams are participating in a national challenge by the RDW to drive an electric kart self-driving around the TT circuit in Assen.

The event was opened by Annemarie Hannink (Executive Board, Hanze University of Applied Sciences) and Joost Frenken (Dean Faculty of Science and Engineering, UG). Both emphasised the importance of cooperation within the University of the North: bringing together education, research and innovation on socially challenging themes such as autonomous transport. In addition, the ambition was expressed to participate in the national challenge next year with a joint team.

Roland Hiemstra, Programme Director of Digital Society Hub , said during his welcome address, "With this inspiring presentation, the student teams showcase the concrete cooperation within the framework of the University of the North. With the arrival of the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI, we can intensify our cooperation in the field of digital transformation." Prof Ming Cao, Scientific Director of the Jantina Tammes School, also expressed the importance he attaches to cooperation: "Students learn from each other and work together on major societal challenges."

With presentations by UG professor of Mechatronics Bayu Jayawardhana and Division Manager Vehicle, Regulation & Admission RDW Gerard Doll, the challenges of autonomous transport were discussed: the task of the RDW, rapid developments of technology and AI, the impact on laws and regulations, but also the ethical and legal aspects of autonomous transport. For example, who is responsible in case of collisions caused by a car not driven by a human? How do we ensure that data from the car is always shared ethically and safely? How the cyber security of autonomous vehicles is handled was explained by Bashar Fteiha, PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law and expert on autonomous vehicles.

The final of the RDW's national Self Driving Challenge is on 8 June at the junior TT circuit in Assen. In any case, we hope for a winning team from the north.