Connected Vehicle and Engineered Surfaces Challenge

Problem statement

Connected vehicles are on their way to Canadian cities, and they will transform how people move around, and the relationship between the car and the 'smart city.' Canadian industry will address the multitude of opportunities that this new transportation paradigm will bring.

Connected vehicles will follow the trend of today's cars in having a large number of computing devices on board to run the sensing, navigation, control and entertainment systems. Estimates are that vehicles will use up to 45 electronic subsystems that need connectivity within the vehicles, and manufacturers prefer wireless connectivity for these systems. Today Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are candidates for inside vehicle use, and other wireless options may appear once 5G arrives. In the near future, vehicle manufacturers talk about less and less metal in vehicle designs, to be replaced by high strength alternative materials.

With so much wireless planned for use in smart cities, the problem for connected vehicles is that if reliability and effectiveness of the in-car wireless networks is at risk, then reliability and safety of connected vehicles in smart cities is compromised. Interference between the on-board vehicle networks (for example between the high performance navigation components and lower performance entertainment subsystems), and between nearby vehicles may compromise effective operation of the automotive electronic systems.

The radio propagation of the wireless connectivity can be engineered to be reliable by incorporating Frequency Selective Engineered Surfaces (FSES) into vehicle design. FSES will modify and control radio propagation in targeted frequency bands while leaving other bands unchanged. Designers will use modelling and simulation, and deployment of FSES to optimize use of the wireless spectrum within the vehicle, and between nearby vehicles (on roads, at intersections) to allow performance and safety requirements for connected vehicles to be met.

Desired outcomes & considerations

The desired outcome of this proposal is the creation of a strong Canadian industry with expertise in the design and application of FSES into connected vehicles. This supports the smart city vision where efficient use of the Radio Frequency spectrum in urban areas can enable innovation.

The FSES technology would be incorporated into connected vehicle designs as a means to move towards wireless connectivity within vehicles, and as a tool to manage interference emanating from vehicles into other vehicles, and into the overall urban environment. As less metal is used in vehicle construction, the composite materials replacing metal would include FSES.

Benefits from the use of FSES are expected to be:

• reduced interference within modern vehicles and between nearby vehicles, without impacting other frequency bands (such as those required for mobile phones),
• less interference into the overall urban environment from connected vehicles,
• Increased safety margin for operation of connected vehicles in urban environments by protection of critical electronic subsystems with FSES,
• reduced power consumption due to greater spectrum use efficiency,
• increased privacy and security.

Background & context

Frequency Selective Engineered Surfaces (FSES) have the ability to enhance or attenuate the transmission and reception of Radio Frequency (RF) signals.

FSES make use of high speed, low production cost printed electronics technology to apply functional inks and other materials with useful electronic properties in carefully designed patterns onto low-cost materials such as plastic films or paper, and embed these into other materials such as multiple layer composite walls and structures, signage or even windows.

The choice of materials upon which to print, the design of the patterns and the orientation of the FSES, can be used to selectively reflect, attenuate and more generally shape the areas in which specific RF frequencies cover. This has the effect of allowing integration of multiple devices using the RF spectrum to operate and co-exist in small proximity areas such as vehicles or cockpits, by minimizing the unwanted propagation of RF signals throughout the structure. The FSES can also be placed to mitigate interference between adjacent wireless emitters in dense environments.

The Communications Research Centre (CRC), a branch within the Spectrum and Telecommunications Sector of ISED, and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) have both worked collectively over the past five years under the auspices of the Printed Electronics Consortium (PEC) to research key elements of the technology required to construct FSES, namely the design of the deposited patterns and the application of inks used to create them. The PEC has successfully produced designs on various types of materials such as polyester plastic and curtains, which have demonstrated the ability to selectively attenuate Wi-Fi signals and at higher frequencies, selectively reflect those signals at specific angles or to act as a general diffuser.

Maximum grant value

Multiple grants could result from this Challenge.

Funding of up to $150,000.00 CAD for up to 6 months could be available for any Phase 1 grant resulting from this Challenge.

Funding of up to $1,000,000.00 CAD for up to 2 years could be available for any Phase 2 grant resulting from this Challenge. Only eligible businesses that received Phase 1 funding could be considered for Phase 2.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any grant for the total maximum funding value.

Travel:  For Phase 1, it is anticipated that three meetings will require the successful applicant(s) to travel to the location identified below:

Kick-off meeting
Communications Research Centre
3701 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON

Progress Review Meeting
Teleconference/videoconference

Final Review Meeting
Communications Research Centre,
3701 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON

Solution proposals can only be submitted by a small business that meets all of the following criteria:

• for profit
• incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially)
• 499 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees^{Footnote *}
• research and development activities that take place in Canada
• 50% or more of its annual wages, salaries and fees are currently paid to employees and contractors who spend the majority of their time working in Canada^{Footnote *}
• 50% or more of its FTE employees have Canada as their ordinary place of work^{Footnote *}
• 50% or more of its senior executives (Vice President and above) have Canada as their principal residence^{Footnote *}

All federal departments and agencies that issue ISC challenges, regardless of whether they use a grant or a contract as the financial instrument to support research and development (R&D) in Phases 1 and 2, will assess proposals and bids from small businesses based on standard questions. The online application and bid submission system will contain these standard questions and provide guidance on the length of responses.

Assessment process

Once a complete application or bid is submitted, it will be sent to the department and agency that issued the challenge as well as to the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) for assessment. It is the prerogative of the challenge sponsoring department or agency to decide which businesses will receive funding for Phase 1. All businesses that submit an application or bid will receive feedback.

In advance of accepting applications and bids from eligible businesses, the following is meant to provide guidance to businesses on what could be asked as part of the application and bid submission process. The information below may be used to evaluate proposals and is subject to change.

Innovation

• Please be prepared to identify the starting technology readiness level (TRL) of the solution and the anticipated TRL at the completion of Phase 1. Reminder, Phase 1 is meant for solutions in the TRL range from 1 to 4.
• Be prepared to describe the novelty of your solution and how it advances the state-of-the-art over existing technologies, including competing solutions. Include in your description the scientific and technological basis upon which your solution is proposed.
• Be prepared to identify what are the key scientific and technical risks facing your solution and how those risks would be addressed in Phase 1.

Benefits to Canada

• Please be prepared to provide a brief description of your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem identified by the department or agency that issued the challenge statement.
• Be prepared to describe the benefits to Canada that could result from the successful development of your solution, with a focus on three types of benefits: Economic Benefits, Innovation Benefits, Public Benefits.

Economic Benefits: Consider the proposed solution's potential impact on the growth of your firm but other firms in Canada more broadly. This could include the development of new clusters and supply chains. Consideration should be given to the number of jobs created, number of high-paying jobs, project-related revenue growth, etc.

Innovation Benefits: Consider the proposed solution's expected contribution towards the enhancement or development of new industrial or technological innovation within your firm. For example, potential spillover benefits, creation of intellectual property, impact on productivity of the new technology, etc.

Public Benefits: Consider the proposed solution's expected contribution to the broader Canadian public, including but not limited to inclusive business and hiring practices (e.g., gender balance), investment in skills and training and the environment.

Management and technological capability

• Please be prepared to identify the work plan for Phase 1 including key milestones and activities anticipated, the total time foreseen to complete Phase 1 (not more than 6 months), resources required to complete the project and the key success criteria.
• Be prepared to identify the potential project risks (e.g., financial, project management, human resources, etc.) to the successful development of the solution and how those risks would be managed in Phase 1.
• Be prepared to provide a brief description of the project implementation team including specific members, partners, their roles and responsibilities, and how their expertise is relevant to the project. The team members must include a Project lead.
• Be prepared to describe what your business is doing to encourage greater inclusivity in its innovation activities. One of the objectives of the program is to encourage greater participation of under-represented groups (e.g., women, Indigenous people, youth, persons with disabilities, visible minorities) in the innovation economy.

Financial capability

• Please be prepared to provide a financial proposal for R&D in Phase 1. Be sure to check the details of each challenge posting which will indicate the maximum funding available for Phase 1 as well as any eligible or ineligible costs.
• In addition, please be prepared to provide information on funding received from other orders of government (i.e., federal, provincial and municipal) for the same work being proposed in your application or submission.
• Please be prepared to describe the financial controls and oversight that your business has in place to manage public funds if selected to proceed into Phase 1.

Commercialization

• Please be prepared to describe how you envision the commercialization of your solution and how potential risks or barriers to further commercialization would be mitigated.

Minimum pass mark

40

Total available points

80

All incoming questions regarding a specific challenge will be posted here with the corresponding response.

If you have a question about a challenge, please send it to ISED-ISDE@canada.ca.

You can also consult the Frequently asked questions about the Innovation Solutions Program.

A glossary is also available.