Open Doors with the Mouse: Youngsters Explored the Future of Mobility
Transport Minister Hermann shared exciting insights into the world of autonomous driving with visiting kids at the FZI and explained how Artificial Intelligence will make future mobility safer.
Research Focus: Intelligent Transportation Systems and Logistics
During the Germany-wide “Open doors with the Mouse” day, the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe opened its doors in the FZI House of Living Labs. It gave young Mouse fans the opportunity to experience the future of mobility up close. Transport Minister Winfried Hermann was personally on site with the first group to explain the concept of autonomous driving and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the children in an understandable way. “Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence will play a major role in future road traffic, such as self-driving vehicles. Rural regions can be better connected with self-driving shuttles. These technologies help to make traffic safer and more climate-friendly. The FZI Research Center for Information Technology is an important research partner in pioneering projects. I would be delighted to be present when the institution opens its doors to tomorrow’s commuters as part of our “AI in Mobility” project on the “Open doors with the Mouse” day. Everyone counts when it comes to climate protection and the mobility transition. It is important to me to communicate this as early as possible,” explained Transport Minister Hermann. The event took place as part of the WDR program “Die Sendung mit der Maus” and was attended by three groups of 20 children each.
The highlight of the event was the bicycle simulator, where the youngsters were able to cycle through the digital twin of the Test Area Autonomous Driving Baden-Württemberg (TAF BW). In a fun way, they learned how autonomous vehicles move in traffic and how AI systems also detect the behavior of pedestrians and cyclists, who are particularly at risk. This simulator is part of the DigiT4TAF-BW research project, which focuses on the safety of vulnerable road users and is part of the “AI in Mobility” service contract of the Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg.
After the presentation of the bicycle simulator and other exciting stations where the children had the chance to experience autonomous technologies and AI, they even had the chance to interview the minister himself. They took the opportunity to raise their questions about the test field and the future of road traffic.
On this day, the children and parents had great fun discovering the mobility of the future in a playful and active way at the FZI.
