Next-generation haptic platform for advanced driver-assistance and mitigation of car accidents

Project Information

Tactronik

Grant agreement ID: 868221

DOI

10.3030/868221

Project closed

EC signature date 15 May 2019

Start date 1 June 2019

End date 30 September 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

ACTRONIKA
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Tactronik (Next-generation haptic platform for advanced driver-assistance and mitigation of car accidents )

Reporting period: 2019-06-01 to 2019-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Actronika is a French deep-tech Company founded in 2014 with the aim of leading the way towards next generation haptic solutions that facilitate human-machine interaction through touch. Actronika develops haptic solutions dedicated to the automotive, medical, virtual reality and gaming industry, for which the sense of touch is recreated thanks to micro-vibrations, which enable the user to feel a realistic perception of fine textures, depth, or material properties while handling “virtual” objects and while touching interactive surfaces. Tactronik®, Actronika’s main product, is an advanced driver-assistance platform integrated into the driver’s seat to avoid and/or mitigate car accidents, alerting the driver in case of hazardous conditions and prompting a rapid, intuitive reaction by means of naturalistic tactile effects. The team is now working towards developing an upgraded Tactronik® that reduces driver reaction time and improves accuracy. The key objectives of the development are to finalize platform implementation and industrial design, and to test the platform in-vehicle in realistic driving conditions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Within the duration of the project, Actronika defined the users’ requirements for product implementation, defined the specifications and reviewed its development plan, and scouted for vehicle testing facilities and industrial partners to support in the validation and production stages. Also, the Company established contact with regulatory companies for preparing CE mark. The market segments and opportunities were evaluated, defining the TAM and SAM. Actronika established a commercialisation strategy. The Phase 1 feasibility assessment has established that a development plan for Tactronik® is technically and commercially viable, and that implementation of a commercialisation plan should be pursued. EIC Accelerator funding could provide the correct amount of funding and support to allow the stated activities to be implemented successfully.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Driver distraction is one of the main causes of road crashes, contributing to about 30% of road accidents in the European Union, while drowsiness is considered responsible for 20-25% of traffic accidents occurring on European roads. Together, these two causes of road accidents contributed to more than 18,000 fatalities in 2018, or 50-55% of car accidents. There has been much interest in the recent years in the development of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) to enhance driver’s safety but these systems still present several limitations.
Users that will benefit from Tactronik®'s innovation are car drivers, who are the beneficiaries of the next automotive technological revolution as prioritized also by the EC adhering to the New Car Assessment Programme, which mandates advanced safety equipment in all new vehicles. Actronika's product follows the current growing trends in technological tools for consumer vehicles and answers to this EU call. Tactronik® adoption will have a crucial impact on society since it will enable significant car accidents reduction (down to 50%), responsible now for more than 25,000 deaths and 391,000 serious injuries in the EU; specifically, accidents due to distracted driving account for 35% of those injuries and 14% of traffic deaths on average. This creates a massive socio-economic burden, with total costs of distracted driving estimated at €120 Billion annually for the EU only.

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