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The Institut d'Estudis Catalans hosted the presentation of the documentary The BrAIn Roads, a production that narrates the research of the Computer Vision Center (CVC) to ensure that a vehicle drives autonomously in rural environments.
The documentary The BrAIn Roads, a production of Minifilms TV, shows the results of the project "Advanced Digital Technologies on Autonomous Driving in the Rural Environment", financed by the Generalitat de Catalunya and executed by CVC, with the collaboration of SEAT, Volkswagen and the Foundation i2CAT with the intention of providing an economic and sustainable response to the lack of public transport that affects rural and more isolated areas.
Through a survey of the frameworks of artificial intelligence research, the documentary transports the viewer from the CVC laboratories to the field tests in the Alt Pirineu Natural Park through a journey through the successes, setbacks and technological complexities experienced. by the team throughout the project. The scientific team faces the challenge of having to train the AI on a narrow mountain road, with poor visibility, adverse weather conditions and no mobile coverage. A proof of concept that differs from existing autonomous driving prototypes, designed mostly for urban areas.
The director of the CVC, Josep Lladós, presented the documentary as an example of “how a group of scientists push the frontier of knowledge. It is research from within. It shows the values of research – cooperation, perseverance and talent – to achieve a challenge and, above all, to learn and make society advance.”
At the presentation of the documentary, hosted by journalist the UAB; Pilar Conesa, founder and president of Anteverti and curator of Smart City Expo World Congress; Oriol Mas, technical coordinator of ADAS Parking
Pilar Conesa considered the project as “a radical leap that opens new paths to the rural environment”, an initiative that, in the words of Oriol Mas, pushes the industry to “take more steps forward.” The experimental autonomous car was tested on rural roads in Isil and Alós, in the Pyrenees of Lleida, “a real event for an area where not even about 60 people live, without mobile coverage,” Guillem Esteban remarked.
The ethical implications of the use of artificial intelligence were also part of the debate. In the words of Pilar Dellunde “a more situated ethical discourse is necessary, without always linking artificial intelligence with apocalyptic discourses.” “The documentary contributes to giving a realistic vision of this technology, with very positive values,” she adds, “it is very interesting to think about how the people who benefit from it receive it.”
Antonio López highlighted that ensuring that this situation is applied and reaches other areas “is possible, but it will not be easy. The approach has been from the academy and the most economical, efficient and easy to maintain system has been sought. The solution is to base everything on the use of cameras. This was the great challenge and it has been achieved with the positive and well-planned three-way collaboration between the industry, the university and the territory”: In a few words of Oriol Mas “for the industry it would be a dream for this to work in all situations.” possible and with only one camera.” Mas claimed that it would be very positive to have “test or sandbox environments in our cities to be able to circulate autonomous cars and provide data to AI systems.” A demand shared by Pilar Conesa, who considered that “in Barcelona there is an opportunity to create a sandbox in the field of mobility, since incorporating innovation in mobility is a key issue for the city.
The vice-rector for Research at the UAB, Assumpció Malgosa, among others, participated in the debate to point out that “the university must face the challenges of citizenship and contribute more directly, doing basic science and also science focused on society.” ”. An orientation that “was also from the first moment in the philosophy of the CVC”, in the words of the first director of the CVC, the professor emeritus of the UAB Juan José Villanueva, “doing basic science on the one hand, but with the idea of reaching to society and collect its demands to feed the basic search in a closed loop.”
