News

Many people think that technology is the biggest challenge in the development of self-driving cars. In fact, the most complex problem is the city itself: where people and cars, bicycles and scooters, buses and trams share the traffic, a single decision depends on dozens of factors. Researchers at HUN-REN SZTAKI’s Systems and Control Laboratory (SCL) are working on algorithms that can make quick and safe decisions even in the most complex situations.

While most drivers can see no further than the next bend, the autonomous system developed by the Systems and Control Laboratory (SCL) at HUN-REN SZTAKI calculates several kilometres ahead: it analyses the terrain, traffic patterns, and road conditions in real time, achieving an average fuel savings of 7 percent – up to ten times more efficient than human routine driving.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer science fiction, but a reality that is fundamentally transforming our lives, education, public administration, and the business world. Would you like to learn more about this unique world and understand it better? Would you like to dispel your fears and reservations about AI? A free, three-hour online artificial intelligence training course will help you learn more about the basics of artificial intelligence and discover the potential of AI.

The closing event of the REFORMula Challenge Innovation Competition for high school students, co-organized by ARNL, took place in Mátraháza, Hungary on 30-31 May 2025, with nearly 50 participants.

The Autonomous Systems National Laboratory (ARNL) held its annual research and development demonstration day entitled "Innovation in Motion" at the ZalaZONE Industrial Park in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary on 26 May 2025. The event featured presentations of the latest developments by the HUN-REN Institute for Computer Science and Control, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, and Széchenyi István University, all members of the ARNL consortium. The demonstration day highlighted that domestic research into autonomous systems is based on strong foundations, both from a scientific and practical perspective, and offers real answers to the transport and industrial challenges of the future.

With the advent of autonomous vehicles, a future where human drivers are no longer needed and only "self-driving" cars are on the road has emerged. But can this happen, why do we need autonomous cars at all, and how could connected autonomous vehicles improve transport efficiency? The head of Systems and Control Laboratory (SCL) at HUN-REN SZTAKI now explains how we should imagine it all.

When we hear of delivery drones, many people imagine a future scenario: hovering devices delivering orders directly to the balcony or front gate. But the reality is much more complex than that, and the biggest challenge is to ensure that these devices can navigate autonomously, safely and reliably in an often unpredictable urban environment. In this area, experts at the Systems and Control Laboratory (SCL) at HUN-REN SZTAKI have achieved world-class results by developing intelligent control solutions that enable drones to react to changes in the environment in real time – all with minimal energy consumption.

Every year, millions of road accidents occur worldwide and the vast majority of them – around 94% – are caused by human error. What if vehicles could anticipate risks and react faster than even the best drivers? HUN-REN SZTAKI SCL is working on this in collaboration with the world's leading technology and engineering companies.

Members of HUN-REN SZTAKI Systems and Control Research Lab, Balázs Németh, lead researcher of ARNL, as well as Csanád Budai and Tamás Széles, researchers of ARNL, gave lectures on the topic of “Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Vehicles” at the Reformed High School of Pécs on 16 April 2025.