Internship | Optimal routing for comfort

Many people experience carsickness when they are passengers in a car driven by someone else. Because cars are starting to drive themselves more and more due to increasing automation, drivers are becoming passengers in their own vehicle and therefore will also start to suffer from carsickness. This is of course not desirable, as no one will buy a car that makes you sick. One of the ways to reduce carsickness is by selecting a route that allows for the least variation in velocity and therefore is the most comfortable. This project will develop a route optimisation algorithm that takes into account what we know about the causes of carsickness to select the most comfortable route to the desired destination.

What will you be doing?
The goal of this assignment is to develop and test a route planning optimisation algorithm that selects the route from origin to destination that is expected to minimise passenger motion sickness given boundary conditions concerning normal driving speeds on different roads and road segments.

Proposed approach:

• Literature review: summarise existing approaches to route selection for comfort optimisation.
• Resources: create an overview of available resources (maps, speed data, traffic data, software).
• Algorithm development: develop a route planner that takes sensitivity to motion sickness (changes in vehicle velocity due to road layout and traffic) into account.
• Evaluation and recommendations: evaluate the route planning algorithm in simulation (how big are potential benefits, what is the trade off with travel time and energy efficiency?) and formulate recommendations for further development and research.

Duration:
This assignment can be done as an internship (3 months) or as a thesis project (5-6 months). The assignment can be adapted based on the required duration.

What can you expect of your work situation?
You will work in the Integrated Vehicle Safety department of TNO at the Automotive Campus in Helmond. In this department experts from various disciplines are working on the development and assessment of automated driving functions. Examples are scenario-based safety assessment of automated driving, development of improved localisation and path planning technology and research on comfort in automated vehicles. The people are young, enthusiastic and driven. You will work in an open area, within your own team. One of our employees will be your mentor. He will help you to get acquainted with the department and supervise your research in order to help you to get the best out of your time at TNO.

What do we expect from you?
The ideal candidate has a background in motion control or dynamics and optimisation, is proficient in a relevant programming language (Python, C++) and wants to contribute to the improvement of (comfort in) automated vehicles. You are able to work independently, but also know when to ask for support. We require you to work at the TNO office in Helmond at least two days a week to enable you to work with our tools and to have short communication lines. This will also give you the opportunity to learn about other work at TNO and to engage with other students.

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

• A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts.
• A suitable internship allowance (615 euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship).
• Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship).
• A free membership of Jong TNO, where you can meet other TNO professionals and join several activities, such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip.
• Use of a laptop.
• An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world. Read more about TNO as an employer.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society. Want to know more? Read what steps we are taking in the area of diversity and inclusion.

After the first CV selection, the application process will be conducted by the concerning department. TNO will provide a suitable internship agreement. If you have any questions about this vacancy, you can contact the contact person mentioned below.

Important to be aware of before applying:

• Before the start of the internship, the internship agreement from TNO needs to be signed. For students at a college or university based in the Netherlands, TNO uses the UNL-template (supplemented with a number of specific agreements from TNO). For students of foreign and MBO educational institutions, the TNO internship agreement applies. TNO does not sign any other internship agreements.
• Before the start of the internship, the educational institution will need to confirm in writing that:
  • 1) you are enrolled at the educational institution during the internship, and;
  • 2) the internship takes place as part of the programme of the study.
• The confirmation of educational institution takes place by signing the UNL template or forms prepared by TNO.
• Interns at TNO must be in possession of a Dutch residential address at the start of the internship. Performance of internship activities from abroad is not possible.