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Project Description

Context​

The Telecommunications Institute of Aveiro (ITAv) has deployed various types of intelligent equipment, such as radars, cameras, weather stations, and other sensors through the region of Aveiro.
These devices continuously collect real-time data about environmental conditions, traffic flow, and vehicle behavior.

This infrastructure forms the foundation for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which aim to improve road safety, traffic efficiency, and driver awareness through connectivity and automation.
By integrating this sensor data with vehicle systems, new opportunities arise to support drivers, prevent accidents, and enable coordinated maneuvers between vehicles.

Problem​

Across Aveiro, ITAv operates a large array of sensors that continuously capture valuable traffic and environmental data. There is a clear opportunity to build an integrated application that:

  • Collects, analyzes, and distributes these data streams directly to vehicles or drivers in real time;
  • Delivers real‑time alerts about emergency situations such as accidents, severe weather, or traffic congestion;
  • Enables coordination between vehicles, such as assisted lane changes and cooperative braking.

Realizing this application would turn fragmented feeds into actionable, vehicle‑ready intelligence, allowing drivers to be alerted in real time, assisted by coordination mechanisms and helped by the data’s full potential.

Goals​

Develop an automotive application that leverages ITAv’s sensor network to improve safety and awareness by:

  • Identifying and notifying users of emergency events in real time;
  • Showcasing traffic status and relevant context around the driver;
  • Supporting coordinated maneuvers between vehicles by sharing timely information.

To achieve this, the project will integrate the sensor feeds, process events, and present them through a simple in-vehicle UI (Android Auto/CarPlay compatible).

Expected Outcomes​

By the end of the project we expect to deliver a functional in‑vehicle application (Android Auto / Apple CarPlay) plus a small set of technical assets that make it usable and demonstrable.

Core capabilities​

  1. Directions and guidance - Turn‑by‑turn navigation to a chosen destination with dynamic rerouting when incidents or congestion are detected.
  2. Adverse weather detection - Identify rain, fog, wind, or low visibility from sensor feeds and warn the driver with timely, location‑aware alerts.
  3. Accidents and breakdowns - Detect nearby incidents and indicate safe speed, lane advice, and suggested detours.
  4. Congestion awareness - Highlight congestion zones on the map, estimate delays, and propose alternative routes when beneficial.
  5. Speed‑limit awareness - Show the current legal limit (including variable limits when available) and warn on potential overspeed.
  6. Overtaking assistant - Detect overtaking situations and provide safety suggestions using lane occupancy and speed‑delta cues.
  7. Trip and event logging - Record anonymized routes and events (timestamps, positions, warnings) for later analysis and evaluation.

We need to integrate the data from multiple sources and provide a clean and responsive interface for vehicle use, so we can develop a functional automotive application capable of assisting drivers with emergency alerts and trafic awareness.

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Institution: Telecommunications Institute of Aveiro (ITAv)