Daimler and Tsinghua University deepen joint research cooperation on sustainable transportation

Daimler and its partner Tsinghua University signed an agreement in Berlin to further deepen their cooperative efforts on sustainable transportation research in China.

The Sino-German cooperation agreement was signed in the presence of German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang in the German Chancellery. Through the Tsinghua Daimler Joint Research Center for Sustainable Transportation, the cooperation has been extended for an additional three years.

With an annual multi-million RMB investment, the Centre will sharpen its focus and research efforts in the fields of automated driving and intelligent mobility. Established in 2012, the Centre has served as an important joint effort combining Daimler's innovation capabilities with Tsinghua University's academic strengths in automotive research.

Mr. Hubertus Troska, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Greater China:"China today plays a leading role not only in terms of its automotive industry, but as an overall engine for innovation. "˜Inspired by China, innovating for China', our Joint Research Center for Sustainable Transportation serves as a shining example of Sino-German cooperation, consistently working to bring sustainable, innovative mobility solutions that meet China's specific needs."

Prof. Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University: "The Tsinghua Daimler Joint Research Center for Sustainable Transportation combines our exceptional research capabilities with Daimler's long heritage in automotive innovation. With its scope now expanding to automated driving and intelligent mobility, I look forward to continuing our important research as we jointly move the field of sustainable transportation forward."

Since its establishment in 2012, the Tsinghua Daimler Research Centre for Sustainable Transportation has carried out joint research for sustainable transportation according to China's needs. In 2013, the Centre collected data from traffic situations at urban roads and highways, ring roads, and intersections.

Deepened research on the technical parameters of typical traffic situations began in 2014, followed by the research project on "˜vision-based detection of vulnerable road users (VRU)' which started in 2015 aiming to train camera algorithms to recognise VRU. This involved establishing the "˜Tsinghua Daimler Cyclist Benchmark' database, which contains 40,000 sample images.

The work scope of the Research Center has been further expanded to include IT innovation, including virtual reality technologies, as well as joint education and research internship projects, which target both Chinese and international talent.

Together with Daimler's R&D experts in China, experienced scholars from Tsinghua University co-lead these research projects, contributing their strong local R&D capabilities and expertise. Tsinghua students are also involved in these projects to facilitate the training and development of local talent in the various fields.