{"id":56541,"date":"2019-05-17T16:42:54","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T20:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=56541"},"modified":"2025-09-30T11:45:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T15:45:18","slug":"connected-autonomous-vehicle-test-track","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/connected-autonomous-vehicle-test-track\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolution on the Road"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Revolution on the Road\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Carleton is a key part of Ottawa\u2019s connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) community, and on May 17, 2019 a large contingent of faculty and graduate students from the university helped launch the Ottawa L5 CAV testing facilities<\/a> \u2014 the first integrated CAV test environment of its kind in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are proud to partner with government, the private sector and the local post-secondary ecosystem to grow an industry that\u2019s increasingly important for our Ottawa, Ontario and Canada,\u201d said Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon, who attended a series of CAV demonstrations at the launch alongside senior government officials, including Ontario cabinet ministers Merrilee Fullerton, Lisa MacLeod and Todd Smith, as well as Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cOur faculty members are doing critical research to advance this field and we are contributing to Ottawa\u2019s continued evolution into a leading technology hub, which is good not only for economic development, but also quality of life, sustainability and so much more,\u201d said Bacon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cOur students are integral contributors to this research and in doing so are getting the experiential learning that will bring them incredible work opportunities. They are the leaders of the CAV sector of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ottawa L5 CAV testing facilities, on the former Greenbelt Research Farm across from the Nepean Sportsplex on Woodroffe Avenue, are located on an 1,866-acre fenced and gated private site with 16 kilometres of paved roads and a control centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The private test track provides an ideal proving ground for safe and productive pre-commercial development, testing, validation and demonstration of CAV technologies that cannot be conducted safely on a city street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ottawa\u2019s public test track, located in Kanata North, the largest technology park in Canada, provides a CAV test environment on nine kilometres of public roads with connected live city infrastructure. Now that the fit-up of the Ottawa L5 is well underway, more than three dozen SMEs and firms are using the public and private tracks to support CAV research and development, commercialization and testing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cAs the minister responsible for post-secondary education in the province, I am very pleased to see Ottawa\u2019s four main post-secondary institutions directly engaged in and contributing to the advancement of CAV technologies,\u201d said Merrilee Fullerton, Ontario\u2019s minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and the MPP for Kanata-Carleton.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to ensure that Ontario has a steady source of well-trained workers ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow, many of which will be in the auto sector. But the pace of change is so fast, we need to adapt to strengthen the competitiveness and innovation of Ontario\u2019s auto sector. A key component is to support innovation and CAV advancement to ensure that Ontario maintains its leadership role in the CAV sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese local institutions are all contributing to the advancement of CAV technology,\u201d said Fullerton. \u201cThey are essential. Thank you for all you do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Revolution<\/figure>\n\n\n

Increasing Automation and Safety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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At the launch, Carleton demonstrated a variety of connected and autonomous systems and technologies developed by students and researchers within the Faculty of Engineering and Design<\/a>, including novel uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and applications such as long-distance drone control using Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless broadband, multi-sensor integration for enhanced autonomous control and data collection, and the use of drones as mobile base stations for wireless communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carleton also featured its specialized crash test dummy project<\/a>, along with one of its connected and autonomous<\/a> vehicles and an array of related systems, such as sensor-based positioning and navigation, object tracking and localization for advanced assisted driving, and enhanced lane detection.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cCarleton\u2019s research in this area is focused not only on fully-autonomous vehicles, but also on increasing the automation level and safety of the vehicles in use until fully-autonomous vehicles are widely deployed,\u201d said Vice-President (Research and International), Rafik Goubran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cAmong the university\u2019s strengths are: active safety features to increase automation and reduce accidents and their impact on occupants, which from a technology perspective means sensors, real-time data analytics and software engineering; communications for connected cars, including 5G, cybersecurity and car-to-car or car-to-infrastructure communications; studying the impact of autonomous vehicles on society, especially in enabling older drivers and people with disabilities to drive, which provides autonomy and independence.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cMoreover,\u201d said Goubran, \u201cCarleton\u2019s expertise in aerospace engineering and drones can benefit autonomous vehicles though obstacle detection, light materials and more.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The May 17 launch was hosted by Invest Ottawa<\/a>, the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in the city, and brought together roughly 300 stakeholders from industry, government, academia and the innovation community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attendees had the opportunity to ride in a BlackBerry QNX autonomous vehicle and an Aurrigo driverless shuttle, both in autonomous mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Invest Ottawa, the Ottawa L5 will catalyze Ottawa\u2019s contribution to the economy and Ontario\u2019s global CAV innovation leadership more broadly by promoting the growth of CAV firms and the development of new CAV solutions, firms, talent and high-value jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith a strong focus on safety, the Ottawa L5 will enable innovators, entrepreneurs, small- and medium-sized enterprises and multinationals to advance the safe development, validation and implementation of CAVs,\u201d Invest Ottawa said in a release. \u201cIt will help firms to address key CAV opportunities and challenges, including: CAV operations in inclement weather; safety and security; interoperability, data collection and analytics; and connectivity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently valued at more than $11 million, the Ottawa L5 leverages $5 million in anchor provincial investment through Ontario\u2019s AV Innovation Network (AVIN) and more than $6 million in in-kind contributions from internationally recognized public and private partners including Accenture, Avanade, Blackberry QNX, the City of Ottawa, Ericsson, Juniper Networks, the National Capital Commission, Microsoft and Nokia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTechnology has blurred the line between a car company and a tech company,\u201d said Todd Smith, Ontario\u2019s minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. \u201cIt\u2019s fundamentally changed what car producing regions need to do to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOntario is home to more than 200 companies developing connected and autonomous vehicle technologies \u2014 this gives us a major advantage when it comes to designing and building the next generation of vehicles. Through Driving Prosperity, our government\u2019s 10-year plan for the auto sector, we are supporting the auto industry by building a competitive business climate, driving innovation and developing industry talent.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cEvery jurisdiction out there is vying for the same investment dollars,\u201d added Smith.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe competition is intense. I have no doubt that Ontario can compete. That was shown by the demonstrations that I saw this morning. The Ottawa community is doing a great job. The whole ecosystem \u2014 government, the private sector and universities \u2014 is working together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Revolution<\/figure>\n\n\n

Validating Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technologies in a Four-Season Climate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Ottawa L5 CAV test facilities support V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) testing and validation of CAV technologies in Ottawa\u2019s true four-season climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building on Ottawa\u2019s internationally-recognized strengths in telecommunications and security, the Ottawa L5 is equipped with V2X connectivity including GPS, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications), Wi-Fi, 4G\/LTE and 5G infrastructure, making it the first integrated CAV test environment of its kind on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This enables R&D in communications and CAV operations in inclement weather, plus systems that pinpoint the location of hidden objects, cybersecurity, interoperability and use of CAV-generated data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ottawa L5\u2019s platform collects data from multiple sources (sensors, cars, cameras and so forth) in real time and makes available proprietary tools for data analytics for a plethora of use cases. The Ottawa L5\u2019s platform facilitates interoperability between different applications and data silos by adopting standardized interfaces and communication protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Ottawa L5 refers to the fact that today\u2019s CAVs are not fully autonomous. There are many levels of automation and intelligence integrated into vehicles. These are defined and classified from zero to five, with level five (L5) indicating full autonomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis facility is fantastic news for everyone in Nepean,\u201d said Lisa MacLeod, Ontario\u2019s minister of Children, Community and Social Services, minister Responsible for Women\u2019s Issues, and  MPP for Nepean. \u201cOttawa is quickly becoming a destination for forward-thinking businesses. Our government\u2019s continued support for economic innovation ensures we are creating the jobs of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s always wonderful to come onto what used be an underutilized experimental farm and see what\u2019s possible, from a new film studio to precision agriculture research,\u201d said MacLeod. \u201cWe truly are, between us and Kanata, an innovation hub.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe city recognizes the tremendous opportunity this presents to grow and diversify our local economy,\u201d said Mayor Jim Watson. \u201cNot only are we demonstrating that Ottawa is a global leader in autonomous vehicles, we will also capitalize on the facility by testing new technologies that will help improve the lives of our residents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInvest Ottawa has established a strategic plan that focuses on three long-range market opportunities: smart government, smart health and smart cities, including connected and autonomous vehicles,\u201d said Michael Tremblay, president and CEO of Invest Ottawa. \u201cThe Ottawa L5 and our CAV programs showcase the very best of what Ottawa has to offer: R&D capability; system-wide collaboration among academia, government and industry, and a drive to do big things in world markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Ottawa L5 will help innovators and firms capitalize on this opportunity, reinforce our collective leadership in this field, and create long-term economic benefit for our region, Ontario and Canada more broadly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Revolution<\/figure>\n\n\n

A Great Opportunity for Carleton<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Among Carleton researchers at the launch were Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering\u2019s Jeremy Lalibert\u00e9, whose research interests include the design of UAVs, and Information Technology Prof. Richard Yu, whose research includes improving the security and bandwidth of super-fast 5G wireless network, as well as Prof. Hanspeter Frei, who helms the university\u2019s crash test dummy project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can do a lot of important testing here,\u201d Yu said of the Ottawa L5 facility. \u201cWhen we develop new algorithms, it\u2019s difficult to test them on commercial roads, but we can work on security hacking and defence mechanism testing here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also a very good opportunity,\u201d added Yu, \u201cfor us to work with other players and industry partners.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cCurrently, we\u2019re working to develop advanced security and privacy schemes that will enable smart, connected and autonomous vehicles to be safer and more secure,\u201d Yu explained in a recent article<\/a> on the Carleton website.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cBy focusing on solutions that account for system resource constraints, high vehicle mobility, and security and privacy requirements for intelligent transportation systems, we can ensure their widespread deployment becomes both practical and commercially viable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Yu continues to develop new methods to protect our roadways<\/a>, he mentioned that a number of technical obstacles also need to be overcome before level five automation can be broadly achieved, such as ensuring CAV decision-making capabilities remain reliable regardless of weather and poor visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cCanada\u2019s harsh winters present additional challenges that will have to be solved before full-scale autonomy can be implemented across all levels of infrastructure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cAdditional research and development is needed to ensure that fully autonomous systems maintain their reliability in all-weather scenarios.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be using this facility for test flights,\u201d added Brendan Ooi, who is doing a master\u2019s degree under the supervision of Lalibert\u00e9 which is focused on the application of \u201ccomputer vision\u201d for UAVs that can help with guidance and navigation as it does for CAVs. \u201cIt\u2019s a big open area with no trees, and there\u2019s not enough space on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a very good opportunity for Carleton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Revolution<\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Carleton is a key part of Ottawa\u2019s connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) community, and on May 17, 2019 a large contingent of faculty and graduate students from the university helped launch the Ottawa L5 CAV testing facilities \u2014 the first integrated CAV test environment of its kind in North America. \u201cWe are proud to partner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":56546,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[28,13,19],"cu_story_tag":[1918,1929,1925],"class_list":["post-56541","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_story_type-community-partnerships","cu_story_type-research-discovery","cu_story_type-technology-innovation","cu_story_tag-faculty-of-engineering-and-design","cu_story_tag-president","cu_story_tag-research"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":"blueprint"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/56541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/56541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97321,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/56541\/revisions\/97321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=56541"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=56541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}