1. Establishment of a state-wide LSA cloud
The development of a state-owned LSA cloud (traffic light cloud) is complete. On the one hand, the cloud enables operational monitoring of the connected traffic light systems. On the other hand, the light signal systems in the cloud can be linked with each other as part of traffic management strategies, e.g. to give priority to public transport or to smoothen traffic flows. In the future, in addition to embedding the light signal systems in superordinate strategic control systems, traffic light control is to be expanded with the help of artificial intelligence on site and also V2X communication to optimize traffic management for all modes of transport (motorized private transport, public transport, on foot and by bicycle). In connection with the commissioning of the BW traffic management center (traffic control center), a linkage of it with MobiData BW and the Mobilithek is being planned in order to publish the data of the connected traffic signal systems, thus making it available to a wide range of users.
2. AI Innovation Park Baden-Württemberg in Heilbronn
The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Park (IPAI) in Heilbronn is intended to act as an ecosystem to connect national and international companies, start-ups, associations and social stakeholders, players from science and public institutions that want to develop and promote AI-based solutions. Some SDA partners and stakeholders have already moved into offices at the IPAI or are collaborating on projects.
As part of the SDA mission ‘Baden-Württemberg Artificial Intelligence Innovation Park’, the focus is on exchanging ideas about AI in a new dialogue format. In 2023, discussions were held with small and medium-sized enterprises and associations on how AI can help make business models sustainable. In 2024, the focus was on implementing AI in local authorities in Baden-Württemberg. To this end, a hackathon was held to pool creative potential and try out various AI-based solutions for local authorities. The solutions were presented to interested local authorities at a closing event at the IPAI in November 2024 and an online event in March 2025.
Parties Involved
3. AI in mobility - development of a digital twin on the Baden-Württemberg autonomous driving test field (TAF BW)
The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport is setting a milestone in the development of autonomous vehicles. The TAF BW is being expanded to include a digital twin. This pioneering digitalisation project will enable innovative technologies – particularly AI-based technologies – in the field of autonomous and connected driving (AVF) to be tested and further developed in a safe environment.
The digital twin of the TAF BW maps the real world in a digital environment, including precise and comprehensive recording of all road users, the traffic rules applied and traffic control. The result is a highly developed and dynamic ecosystem that can be used to collect, analyse and interpret real-time data. This enables reliable predictions to be made about events such as emerging traffic jams, accidents or changing weather conditions, thereby optimising traffic control.
The digital twin covers selected streets and intersections of the TAF BW in Karlsruhe and Heilbronn. With the aid of advanced sensor technology and measurement vehicles, extensive and anonymised data on the behaviour of road users was collected. This data serves as the basis for training realistic behaviour models to enable an authentic simulation of driver behaviour. A bicycle simulator has also been set up at the FZI Research Centre for Information Technology, which can be used to ‘experience’ the digital twin and collect further data for a behaviour model of cyclists. By creating an interface for connecting autonomous driving functions, the digital twin for automated and connected vehicles will offer the possibility of simulating critical traffic situations without causing any danger in the real world. This opens up new perspectives for the safe development and validation of autonomous driving functions.
The main objective of the project is to create a digital twin for the TAF BW, which will serve as a basis for future developments and projects in the field of autonomous vehicles. The focus is on the homologation (approval) of autonomous vehicles, the creation of a test environment for traffic planning aspects, and scaling options via the connection of additional software and extensions to the digital twin. By publishing via open source and open data, access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made as barrier-free and easy as possible. This is to ensure that SMEs can test and further develop their business ideas and models easily and practically without great effort – initially in the virtual environment with subsequent validation in the real test field.
Parties Involved:
