Cooperation agreement between NLCT and NLAS to promote autonomous technologies and innovation

A cooperation agreement was signed on 28 August between the National Laboratory for Cooperative Technologies (NLCT), led by the TECHTRA Technology Transfer Institute, and the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems (NLAS), led by the Institute for Computer Science and Control (ICSC), to promote collaborative development in the fields of technology, innovation, and autonomous systems.

Background and objectives

Established on 14 June 2022, NLCT was established under the management of TECHTRA Plc. with the primary objective of building and developing versatile industrial innovation capabilities and competencies. NLCT’s core mission revolves around the realization of an „innovation space” strategically positioned to play a key role in digitalization, industry-centric R&D, and interconnected multi-purpose industries at both national and regional levels.
Established on 1 July 2020, NLAS, led by the ICSC, is committed to researching, developing, and coordinating innovative solutions for mobility-centric R&D, including ground and air vehicles and robots. Their focus is concentrated on complex systems, shapes, and applications that require a self-directed and collaborative approach.

Scope of cooperation

The concluded cooperation agreement outlines the aspirations and intentions of the parties involved to enhance and consolidate their cooperation efforts in the technical areas identified and subsequently establish synergistic cooperation that will benefit both parties.

Areas of cooperation

a) Establishment of a professional network: Both parties are committed to establishing a strong professional network that can serve as a hub for research and development activities on autonomous systems. The network will aim to facilitate knowledge exchange between universities, research institutes, industry, SMEs, and national laboratories and their consortia.

b) Promoting social acceptance: A key aspect of the partnership is to promote a better understanding and acceptance of autonomous vehicles in society. This would be achieved through a more coordinated presentation of research and development results, effectively demonstrating the collaboration between industry and research. The aim is to highlight the societal benefits of the results in a way that is easily understood by the general public.

c) Technical and legal standardization: The parties agreed to cooperate on technical and legal harmonization for autonomous solutions. This applies to off-road vehicles and dual-use vehicles under the jurisdiction of the NLCT, as well as civil road and air vehicles under the jurisdiction of the NLAS.

d) Developing a regulatory framework: The agreement will consolidate cooperation in developing proposals for a regulatory framework adapted to the development of autonomous technologies.