VI-grade and Aidoptation Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance High-Speed Autonomous Driving Safety
Udine, Italy, September 28th, 2026
The first-of-its-kind collaboration combines advanced simulation, safety technology, and physical vehicle testing to accelerate the development and validation of high-speed autonomous driving.
VI-grade, the global provider of human-centric simulation-driven vehicle development solutions, and Aidoptation, a Belgium-based deep-tech company developing EdgeDrive, an ADAS for Level 4 autonomous driving on highways, today announced a strategic collaboration focused on advancing the development and validation of autonomous driving technologies at highway speeds (120-130 km/h). The collaboration addresses a key challenge in autonomous driving development: safely and systematically validating edge cases at high speeds, where vehicle dynamics, stability and tire grip become increasingly critical. By combining VI-grade’s high-fidelity vehicle and driving simulation capabilities with Aidoptation’s autonomous driving technology and physical testing expertise, the companies aim to establish a robust simulation-to-real validation approach for Level 3 and Level 4 highway driving.
At the core of the collaboration is the integration of VI-WorldSim and VI-CarRealTime with Aidoptation’s EdgeDrive deterministic safety layer. Vehicle dynamics, road geometry, traffic objects and sensor information generated within the VI-grade simulation environment will be connected with EdgeDrive, enabling autonomous driving responses to be evaluated across controlled and repeatable virtual scenarios. The project also includes the development of a validated virtual representation of Aidoptation’s physical test vehicle, using vehicle dynamics data collected during proving-ground testing to strengthen correlation between virtual and physical testing.
In parallel, VI-grade and Aidoptation will develop a high-speed highway edge-case scenario library covering speeds from 120 to 130 km/h. VI-grade’s automated scenario-generation capabilities will be combined with Aidoptation’s maneuvers definitions, safety KPIs and pass/fail criteria, enabling systematic testing of scenarios that may be difficult, costly or risky to reproduce repeatedly with a physical vehicle.
The collaboration will ultimately connect virtual testing in VI-WorldSim with physical validation at Aidoptation’s test facilities and proving grounds. The goal is to establish a structured methodology for determining which scenarios can be validated effectively in simulation and where physical testing remains necessary, supporting more efficient and scalable autonomous driving validation.
“High-speed highway operation introduces edge cases that need to be tested systematically and under highly repeatable conditions. By combining our deterministic safety technology and experience from physical vehicle testing with VI-grade’s simulation capabilities, we can create a continuous validation process from the virtual environment to safe real-world autonomous driving” said Paul Mitchell, CEO of Aidoptation.
“Everything here depends on the fidelity of the models. With a vehicle dynamics model that reproduces how the car behaves at the limit of grip, and a world model that puts that behaviour in a realistic environment, we can validate a safety-critical manoeuvre before the vehicle ever runs it, and because EdgeDrive is deterministic, simulation and track agree. That compresses the development of each new manoeuvre from months to weeks” said Rodrigo Senofieni, Head of Engineering at Aidoptation.
“One of the key advantages of simulation is the ability to reproduce complex and safety-critical situations under exactly controlled conditions and evaluate them repeatedly as the system evolves,” said Iain Dodds, NA Technical Director of VI-grade. “Our collaboration with Aidoptation connects this capability with real-world vehicle data and physical testing, helping create a more efficient development and validation workflow for autonomous driving technologies.”
VI-grade and Aidoptation Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance High-Speed Autonomous Driving Safety
About Aidoptation
Aidoptation BV is a Belgian autonomous vehicle software company, founded in 2025 as a commercial spin-off of the Indy Autonomous Challenge. Based at DronePort Sint-Truiden, the company develops EdgeDrive, a modular autonomous driving software platform purpose-built to detect, anticipate, and avoid safety-critical situations at high speeds up to 130 km/h. The software combines real-time trajectory planning and precise vehicle dynamics control, allowing a vehicle to react within a fraction of a second to sudden hazards, such as obstacles, debris, or unpredictable traffic behaviour, while keeping the car safely within its dynamic limits throughout the manoeuvre. With this new L4 ADAS system, Aidoptation aims to make highways safer.
Aidoptation holds the first authorisation in Europe for Level 4 autonomous driving at highway speeds, allowing the company to validate EdgeDrive through real-world testing on public highways in Belgium. Backed by LRM, Ethias Ventures, Belfius Bank & Insurance, and SFPIM, Aidoptation is working to bring this safety-critical autonomy from advanced testing environments onto the road.
For further information, please visit https://www.aidoptation.com
The Aidoptation logo and all Aidoptation product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Aidoptation BV.
Contact:
Emma Salvadori – Social Media and Marketing
Phone: +39 349 4169717
E-mail: emma.salvadori@aidoptation.com
Rodrigo Senofieni – Head of Engineering
E-mail: rodrigo.senofieni@aidoptation.com
About VI-grade
VI-grade is a global provider of disruptive vehicle development solutions that help engineering teams move faster, reduce dependency on late-stage physical prototypes and make better decisions through Smart Testing.
Its human-centric solutions include industry-leading real-time simulation software, professional driving simulators and Hardware-in-the-Loop solutions that connect virtual development, physical testing and data-driven validation across the transportation industry.
VI-grade’s scalable driving simulators cover a wide performance range to assess the multi-disciplinary driving experience, from vehicle dynamics and ride comfort to NVH, ADAS and full-vehicle integration. By combining simulation, physical data and integrated workflows, VI-grade enables OEMs, suppliers, research centers, motorsport teams and universities to accelerate innovation, improve correlation and bring smarter products to market faster.
VI-grade is part of Hottinger Brüel & Kjær (HBK), whose testing and measurement solutions give engineers around the world the accurate, up-to-date data they need to bring higher-quality products to market faster. HBK empowers innovators by providing exceptional sensing and insights to help create solutions for a cleaner, healthier and more productive world.
For further information, please visit https://www.vi-grade.com
The VI-grade logo and all VI-grade product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of VI-grade GmbH.
Contact:
Gabriele Ferrarotti – Head of Marketing - Simulation at Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer (VI-grade)
Phone: +39 349 5458021
E-mail: gabriele.ferrarotti@vi-grade.com
Aidoptation Receives Approval for First Fully Autonomous Driving Tests on Highways in the European Union
Sint-Truiden, Belgium, 09/07/2026
The Limburg-based autonomous vehicle technology company has received authorization from Belgian authorities to test fully autonomous (Level 4) driving on public highways up to the 120kph speed limit. A first milestone in the EU for testing life-saving autonomous technology in high-speed scenarios where road accidents are most severe.
SINT-TRUIDEN, Belgium, Aidoptation BV, the autonomous vehicle technology company headquartered at DronePort in Sint-Truiden, has received official approval from the Federal Public Service Mobility (FOD) and Transport and the Flemish Agency for Roads and Traffic (AWV) to conduct fully autonomous driving tests on public highways. The permit covers 100 km on the E313 and E314 highways in the province of Limburg, and marks the first time a Level 4 fully autonomous driving system will be tested at highway speeds on public roads in the European Union.
Within the global automotive industry, Level 4 is defined as autonomous driving capable of performing all driving tasks and monitoring the environment without any human intervention. This level of autonomy is distinct from the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that have been tested by several automakers (OEMs) in the European Union, including Tesla FSD, which is classified as Level 2 requiring constant driver supervision; the human driver remains legally liable for the vehicle's actions. The testing will be conducted using the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore electric vehicle platform, which Aidoptation has equipped with LiDAR, radar, and camera sensors, as well as robotics hardware, to enable full autonomous driving at highway speeds.
The permit approval is a decisive step in Aidoptation’s mission to develop life-saving autonomous driving technology for the most severe category of road accidents: high-speed crashes on motorways, where at 120 km/h a vehicle covers more than 50 meters in the 1.5 seconds it takes an average driver to react. Accidents at such speeds are rare but often result in death or severe injuries, roadway closures, and loss of property and infrastructure. Safely managing obstacles and crash-avoidance maneuvers, known as “edge-cases” at highway speeds, remains a key step toward unlocking the full potential of autonomous driving technologies.
Aidoptation and EdgeDrive
Aidoptation was founded in 2025 as a commercial spin-off of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), the world’s first autonomous racing competition based in the United States. The company’s engineering team set the world autonomous speed record of 318 km/h (197.7 mph) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a production Maserati MC20 with no human driver on board. Aidoptation’s first commercial product, called EdgeDrive, is a Level 4 fully autonomous driving platform built specifically for highway operation at speeds of 120 km/h and above (where speed limits allow). It provides consistent and safe autonomous driving operations when it is most beneficial, where human reaction time, vehicle stability, and low tire grip conditions can reach their limits, dramatically increasing the risk of an accident. EdgeDrive uses first-principles-based deterministic models to reliably handle safety-critical scenarios: emergency maneuvers, sudden obstacle avoidance, and high-speed hazard response. With no AI involved in decision-making, driving results are fully traceable and auditable, ensuring transparency for regulators and insurers. Adaptation will offer EdgeDrive as a separate, or integrated, proven safety module to automotive OEMs and robotaxi customers seeking to expand their ODD (Operational Design Domain) for Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous vehicles to highways.
The importance of real-world testing
Testing on public highways is a critical step in the development of safe and reliable autonomous driving systems. To prepare for and secure a permit, Aidoptation has spent a year conducting extensive real-world testing of its high-speed autonomous driving technology across a wide range of weather and driving conditions at multiple sites in Belgium, including Ford Lommel Proving Grounds, DronePort runway, Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit Zolder. The permit to test on highways in Belgium enables Aidoptation to validate its autonomous driving technology, including EdgeDrive, in real-world traffic conditions, complementing the extensive ongoing testing at proving grounds and tracks. Testing will be conducted in a phased approach under strict operational and safety protocols agreed with the Belgian authorities, which includes a human safety driver supervising who is able to take control of the vehicle at any time while testing. The project insured by Ethias, one of Belgium’s leading insurers, whose support underpins the safe and responsible conduct of testing on public roads.
“Being the first to test fully autonomous Level 4 technology on EU highways is a milestone moment for Aidoptation, the Belgian innovation ecosystem, and the broader autonomous driving industry. Autonomous driving has enormous potential to improve safety and mobility, but commercial adoption will depend on demonstrating safe performance in the most demanding highway scenarios. Testing on public highways will generate invaluable real-world data, validate our technology, and advance our mission of reducing fatalities and making highways safer for everyone.” – Paul Mitchell, CEO of Aidoptation
“As a Belgian insurer and partner to thousands of public institutions, local authorities and emergency services, we see every day just how essential safety and mobility are to society. That is why we invest in companies such as Aidoptation. Its technology has the potential to make our roads safer and help prevent road casualties. At the same time, Aidoptation demonstrates how Belgium can develop new areas of economic strength in advanced mobility technology. In this way, we combine social impact with investment in the future of our country.”
– Philippe Lallemand, CEO of Ethias
“Innovation on our roads must first and foremost contribute to greater safety and economic pro-gress,” says Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders. “With companies such as Aidop-tation, Flanders not only possesses strong expertise and technological ingenuity, but we are also putting that knowledge into practice on the road. By enabling testing under real-world conditions, we are developing concrete solutions that can save lives while strengthening our position as a Euro-pean leader in smart mobility.” – Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders
"Autonomous driving is no longer science fiction. Around the world, we are reaching a tipping point, and Flanders should not merely follow; it should lead. We have the expertise, the companies, and the ambition to be at the forefront. The fact that Aidoptation can now conduct testing on the E313 and E314 motorways demonstrates that Flanders is a place where innovation does not remain con-fined to ideas, but finds its way into real-world application." – Annick De Ridder, Minister for Mo-bility of Flanders
About Aidoptation
Aidoptation BV is a Belgian autonomous vehicle software company, founded in 2025 as a commercial spin-off of the Indy Autonomous Challenge. Based at DronePort Sint-Truiden, the company develops EdgeDrive, an autonomous driving software platform designed to make high-speed highway driving safer. Aidoptation is backed by LRM, SFPIM, Ethias Ventures, and Belfius Bank.