Syntronic contributes to research on autonomous vehicles

Syntronic is contributing to the development of safer, smarter autonomous transport through a collaboration with the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI).

In the ongoing project entitled Ride the Future, two self-driving electric buses operating in Linköping have now been equipped with mobile phones and a custom-built app developed by Syntronic.

The app enables operators to manually trigger data collection during events like braking, simply by pressing a button. No data is recorded unless the button is actively pressed, a design choice that ensures data is only gathered at relevant moments and never in sensitive areas such as protected zones.

Smarter data for safer systems

By narrowing data collection to specific, controlled moments, the solution developed by Syntronic helps eliminate unnecessary or potentially sensitive recordings. This enables more targeted analysis while meeting high standards for safety and integrity, a crucial consideration in public transport environments.

This level of precision not only improves the quality of the research but also builds public trust in autonomous technologies. When data collection is transparent and intentional, it becomes easier to address concerns about privacy and accountability in future mobility solutions.

A living lab on wheels

The autonomous buses in Linköping have been running since early 2020 along a four-kilometer route with 50 stops in the areas of Campus Valla and Vallastaden. They form part of an open research platform where academics, students and industry experts explore how automated vehicles interact with infrastructure and passengers.

The research project is led by VTI and Linköping University in collaboration with Transdev, the Östergötland Region, the City of Linköping, Akademiska Hus, and RISE. It is project is supported by both national and international sources, and new research initiatives are added on an ongoing basis.

By developing the app and integrating it into the buses’ systems, Syntronic supports the broader goal of building knowledge around the technology, regulation and user experience of autonomous vehicles.