ATC
Airbus UpNext Testing Automatic Taxiing Technologies
Airbus is using an electric truck testbed to trial the automation
Airbus UpNext's electric truck testbed (Photo: Airbus)
Airbus UpNext's electric truck testbed replicates an A350 flight deck to demonstrate automated taxiing.

Airbus’ UpNext innovation advancement subsidiary has begun testing technologies designed to support automatic aircraft taxiing and pilot assistance. The technologies are part of UpNext’s three-year Optimate research project, which combines advanced automation, computer vision, data fusion, and machine learning to improve aircraft navigation systems, human-machine interfacing, and flight safety in general.

The research involves developing and testing automatic taxiing using more accurate and reliable position calculations and assessing the potential of quantum sensing to improve position availability and navigation systems. Further, the research is investigating the capabilities of a collaborative map and virtual flight assistant to support pilot decisions and interactions with air traffic control and operations centers.