TECH NEWS – Millions of road accidents occur worldwide every year, and the vast majority of them – around 94% – are caused by human error. What if vehicles could foresee risks and react faster than even the best drivers? A Hungarian research lab, HUN-REN SZTAKI SCL, is working on just that, in collaboration with the world’s leading technology and engineering companies.

Imagine an autonomous system that not only follows traffic rules, but is also able to “see” a pedestrian suddenly stepping out from behind a bus and adjust its route accordingly to avoid an accident before it happens. We are increasingly hearing about self-driving cars, to a greater or lesser extent, which are becoming more advanced, but adapting to real-world traffic situations and unpredictable human drivers is a much bigger challenge than most people would think.

Overcoming these obstacles requires innovative research, advanced algorithms, and control systems that adequately handle the diversity of the real world – this is what the HUN-REN SZTAKI Systems and Control Theory Research Laboratory (SCL) has been working on for over 35 years.

Smarter transportation, safer roads

HUN-REN SZTAKI SCL is one of the leading Hungarian research centers in mathematical systems theory and control engineering. The laboratory focuses, among other things, on solving real-world challenges in transportation by developing artificial intelligence-based control algorithms that enable autonomous vehicles to better predict, react, and learn in complex environments.

“Autonomous vehicles must be able to navigate a world that is still full of human drivers and unpredictable situations. Our research aims to create models that allow self-driving cars to make safer decisions on the road,” explains Professor Péter Gáspár, head of SCL.

In the laboratory, situations are simulated and modeled that are too dangerous or simply impossible to test in real life. Just think of how a self-driving car can be taught to react appropriately to a pedestrian suddenly stepping onto the road – for example, a child jumping out from behind a parked bus. This is where SCL’s special test track, the “AI MotionLab”, comes into play, where models that have already been proven in theory and in computer simulations are put to the test using virtual, augmented reality (VR, AR) and mixed reality (MR). This allows experts to create virtual pedestrians, cyclists, or even unpredictable weather conditions that interact with real vehicles – scaled-down versions of the original cars. The digital elements behave just like real-world hazards, allowing engineers to test the reactions of an autonomous system in a safe, repeatable, and cost-effective way.

This method is particularly important for teaching how to handle rare but critical situations. SCL researchers don’t just rely on real-world data, they also virtually generate and simulate these extreme situations, allowing self-driving systems to learn faster and become more reliable before they are deployed on public roads.

By combining advanced modeling and real-world testing, SCL not only makes autonomous vehicles safer, but also speeds up their development while minimizing risks. This innovative approach is the reason why domestic and foreign technology and engineering companies sometimes turn to the Hungarian research lab for development proposals. This makes it possible for SCL to actively shape the future of intelligent mobility together with market players.

Beyond mobility

SCL’s work goes beyond autonomous cars. The research lab also deals with broader transport efficiency, vehicle connectivity, and safety-critical control systems used in aviation, rail networks, and industrial energy solutions.

“We work on basic research that directly influences the future of mobility. Our algorithms not only help individual cars drive better, but also contribute to the redesign of entire transport systems to make them safer, more efficient, and more sustainable,” added Professor Gáspár.

Although self-driving cars have not yet invaded our cities en masse, Hungarian experts working at HUN-REN SZTAKI SCL are paving the way towards a future in which autonomous vehicles are safer, more intelligent, and better prepared for unpredictable driving situations.