Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GAMMS (Galileo/GNSS-based Autonomous Mobile Mapping System)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2025-07-31
The project began in July 2021 to create an advanced autonomous terrestrial mobile mapping system, a sort of professional high-grade robot to produce maps for the future [consumer robots] autonomous cars. GAMMS brings together robotics (autonomous vehicle technology), navigation/modern geodesy, and artificial intelligence, aiming at high-precision mapping useful for the automated creation of high-definition maps (HD maps) for the upcoming driverless vehicles. These maps can be of interest not only for the autonomous vehicles, but also for smart cities and augmented reality (AR), for urban air mobility applications (such as drone and taxi-drone operations) and in general for a sustainable and safe mobility. The project aimed to deliver a technology readiness level (TRL) 6 to 7 prototype, moving existing autonomous vehicle solutions toward highly accurate and certifiable mobile mapping.
More specifically, we aimed to develop an advanced prototype (TRL 6 to 7) of an autonomous terrestrial mobile mapping system –a mapping robot– based on an already existing Level of Automation 4 (LoA-41) AV for cm-level accurate and certifiable mapping to serve the needs of the growing markets of
1. High Definition (HD) maps for autonomous vehicles (a.k.a. driverless cars),
2. 3D maps for smart cities and augmented reality (AR) applications,
3. 3D maps to support Urban Air Mobility (UAM) applications –e.g. package delivery by drone or taxi drones– and, in general, ground-to-low-level-airspace unmanned applications, and
4. urban sustainable and safe mobility.
The GAMMS consortium successfully finalised:
• WP3: the architectural design was improved because of the S4 replacement by ViF;
• WP4: the sub-systems were developed including Galileo differentiators and HD maps generation for autonomous vehicles;
• WP5: the sub-systems were integrated in the GAMMS demonstrator (iteration 1, offline processing) and GAMMS prototype (iteration 2, online processing); and,
• WP6: the GAMMS demonstrator and prototype were tested and validated.
GAMMS responded to current market opportunities, social needs and H2020 priorities. GAMMS consisted with the current level of maturity of the involved technologies and set-up a board of stakeholders to cross-fertilize the project (the GAMMS Advisory Board, GAB).
Among other actions, we highlight the final event of GAMMS project in July 2025 with the successful participation of internal and external partners.
During the Reporting Period 1 (M1-M18), we can list the activities concluded successfully as follows:
• The release of 14 deliverables: D1.1 PP-QM, D1.2 CSPR, D1.3 CK, D1.4 WP, D2.1 UR, D2.2 SA, D2.3 MS, D3.1 ADD, D5.1 GU, D8.1 NEC Requirement, D8.2 H Requirement 3, D8.3 H Requirement 4, D8.4 POPD, D8.5 EPQ
• 1 Advisory Board workshop
• 3 presentations (ISPRS 2022, InterGeo 2022, ASECAP COPER3)
• 1 conference paper and 1 journal paper (ISPRS), and EPFL received an award at InterGeo 2022 for the conference paper
• 2 roundtables (ITS EC 2022, NAIA.R 2021)
• Promotion and distribution of leaflets at booth (ITS WC 2021, NAIA.R 2021, BIM World 2022)
During the Reporting Period 2 (M19-M49), the list of activities concluded succesfully is as follows:
• The release of 15 deliverables on schedule (D4.1 RX, D4.2 NX, D4.3 MLS, D4.4 AV, D4.5 MMS, D4.6 VDM, D4.7 HDM, D5.2 GD, D5.3 GP, D6.1 TP, D6.2 TR_RA, D7.1 BM, D7.2 RFR, D7.3 DIEP, D7.4 HD_QAC) plus the release of 3 updated or new versions of previously submitted deliverables (D1.2 CSPR, D1.3 CK, D3.1 ADD).
• 6 quarterly reports and meetings with the PO.
• A General Assembly on March 2025.
• 2 milestones: MTR and FR.
• 2 test campaigns in Graz: GAMMS demonstrator (November 2024) and GAMMS prototype (May 2025).
• 2 live-streaming public demonstrations during the 2nd test campaign.
• 1 final event with external participants, with 89 attendees.
• 4 peer reviewed publications.
• 5 project events in conference/congresses, as well as 20 project presentations.
• 10 public videos published, 239 LinkedIn members reached.
• 11 commercial and 5 non-commercial exploitable results have been identified; each linked to partner responsibilities and market opportunities. Validated through Horizon Results Booster activities and market engagement.
GAMMS will be contributing to the application, and thence market adoption, of the AV technology in the EU and European Free Trade Area (EFTA) area. Indeed, car industry is strategic for the EU economy as it accounts for 4% and 9% of EU’s GDP and exports respectively. It employs 8 million people and ranks among the main EU sectors in terms of exports and R&D. And, given its long supply chain, it has a significant multiplier effect on the EU economy.
Note that an AV is a computer with an engine and four wheels. This is probably why German and Detroit car makers have, many times, to partner with Silicon Valley. GAMMS promotes the further development of AI techniques of the EU industry.
The AMMS technology has the following additional impacts: it injects new technologies in the mapping sector; it opens/confronts the mapping industry to new business models; and it contributes to fight climate change and derived health issues. Last, not least, it has an obvious impact on the workforce as the industry moves towards automated driving and to automated map production.
To date, ten commercial and eight non‑commercial Exploitable Results (ERs) have been identified, ranging from software libraries and GNSS modules to benchmark datasets and training materials . The joint exploitation plan leverages consortium‑wide engagement with EUSPA and anticipates the establishment of a “GAMMS Community of Practice” post‑PM 49 to sustain collaboration with spin‑off ventures and early adopters. Individual partner routes include per‑seat software subscriptions of AI‑mapping libraries, CE‑certified GNSS‑receiver module integration for Mobile Mapping Systems, and consultancy/system‑integration services for municipal and infrastructure clients