A Survey on Remote Operation of Road Vehicles

Amador, Oscar; Aramrattana, Maytheewat; Vinel, Alexey · 2022 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1109/access.2022.3229168

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Summary

This survey addresses the growing interest in Remote Operation of Road Vehicles (RORV) as a critical bridge toward fully driverless mobility and a method to enhance safety and efficiency in automated transport. The authors motivate this review by noting that while commercial solutions exist, significant technological, regulatory, and commercial challenges remain. RORV allows human operators to assist Automated Driving Systems (ADS) when they encounter ambiguous situations or to operate vehicles from safer, more comfortable locations, thereby improving working conditions for commercial drivers and enabling new mobility services like robotaxis. The paper employs a comprehensive literature review and classification methodology to organize existing research and industry developments. The authors define three distinct modes of remote operation: remote driving (manual control, typically SAE Levels 0–2), remote assistance (providing advice or authorization to an ADS, typically SAE Levels 4–5), and remote monitoring (observation without direct control). The survey categorizes literature based on these modes, the type of study conducted (e.g., network measurements, human performance evaluations, simulations, or field tests), and the vehicle types involved. It also examines system architectures, including human-machine interfaces and wireless communication technologies like 4G, 5G, and DSRC, and reviews commercial approaches from software providers, network operators, and vehicle manufacturers. Key findings include a detailed mapping of current commercial implementations, such as Designated Driver, Ottopia, and Phantom Auto, which offer remote operation services ranging from last-mile delivery to long-haul freight. The survey highlights that network providers like T-Systems and Ericsson are actively demonstrating the feasibility of RORV over 5G networks, achieving low-latency connections necessary for safe operation. The authors identify that while SAE standards define roles for remote users, specific technical specifications for RORV remain largely undefined. Furthermore, the review reveals that research efforts are distributed across validating network feasibility, assessing human operator workload and ergonomics, and testing system performance in simulated and real-world environments. The significance of this work lies in its systematic identification of remaining gaps and challenges for RORV deployment. The authors conclude that successful implementation requires addressing technological feasibility, particularly regarding reliable connectivity and low latency; human factors, such as defining necessary information for safe operation; regulatory harmonization for cross-border scenarios; and viable business models for large-scale commercial application. By synthesizing academic and industrial perspectives, the survey provides a structured framework for future research and development, emphasizing that RORV is not merely a technological challenge but a complex socio-technical system requiring coordinated efforts across standardization, infrastructure, and human-machine interaction design.

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• teleoperation remote driving
• driverless ads

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• Theoretical Contribution: conceptual framework