SaferCAV is a three‑year innovation programme led by the National Edge AI Hub in collaboration with Methodica Technologies and Nottingham Trent University’s Future Mobility Innovation Lab. The project focuses on one of the biggest challenges in the automotive sector: how to run safety‑critical vehicle controls alongside increasingly demanding AI perception systems, without compromising reliability, performance or safety.

Modern connected and autonomous vehicles rely on two very different types of computing. Systems such as braking, steering and stability control require ultra‑precise, deterministic responses measured in microseconds. Meanwhile, AI models that interpret camera, radar and LiDAR data need high‑throughput processing to detect hazards, understand road layouts and predict the movement of nearby vehicles. Traditional onboard platforms struggle to meet both needs simultaneously.

SaferCAV tackles this by developing a hybrid computing architecture that allows specialised processors to work together intelligently. Advanced Modelling Units (AMUs), built into automotive‑grade microcontrollers, manage the safety‑critical functions that demand absolute reliability. Alongside them, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) deliver the computational power required for real‑time AI perception. The project’s key innovation lies in creating a robust interface between these technologies, ensuring that insights from AI models can enhance vehicle decision‑making without ever undermining safety.

The project focuses on a representative use case Lane Detection and Adaptive Cruise Control (LDP/ACC), which depends on both accurate perception and precise control. SaferCAV will test this pipeline in simulation, controlled laboratory environments and ultimately within a real‑world demonstrator vehicle.

By the end of the programme, SaferCAV will deliver a proof‑of‑concept vehicle computing platform that is safer, more efficient and more adaptable to future mobility needs. For industry partners, it highlights how the National Edge AI Hub can support high‑impact research and development, provide technical validation pathways and accelerate innovation in connected and autonomous transport.