Technology development may start in the lab, but at some point it needs to make its way into real world conditions. Public motorways and city centres, however, entail numerous safety issues for unproven technology. In many regions it’s simply not legal to publicly test certain systems, such as driverless vehicles.
The Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMIC), described as a "laboratory with real-life conditions", falls somewhere between the two. The Shannon-based development centre and testbed is equipped with 4km of fibre optic cables, multiple sensors throughout the site, accuracy location systems, a data management and control centre, and sensor equipped test vehicles to facilitate development of new innovations.
“We don’t develop products or IP ourselves, but rather serve as a facilitator for companies to develop products and grow the industry,” explains Russel Vickers, FMCI Chief Executive.
