The Future of Driving: Autonomous Vehicles in a World of Uncertainty event​​​

20-May-2026 | 10.00 - 17.00

Lecture hall A, Mechanical Engineering,

TU Delft, The Netherlands

About the event

As autonomous vehicles continue to evolve, a key challenge lies in enabling them to operate safely and reliably in the open world, where uncertainty is inherent and unavoidable.

Real-world traffic is shaped by incomplete information, changing environments, and complex interactions between human and automated agents. Beyond technical robustness, this raises fundamental questions about how autonomous systems interpret situations, make decisions, and communicate intent in ways that remain clear and predictable to the humans around them.

Uncertainty is particularly pronounced in the interaction between humans and automated driving systems. Whether considering the behavior of other road users or the role of humans within the vehicle, ambiguity can arise in expectations, responsibilities, and system behavior. This makes it essential for autonomous vehicles to not only reason about their environment, but also to account for how their actions are perceived and understood by humans. Approaches that incorporate human-aware prediction, risk-sensitive planning, and behavior that aligns with human expectations are therefore central to achieving safe and effective integration into everyday traffic.

This event brings together academic and industrial researchers to explore how risk and uncertainty can be systematically addressed in autonomous driving. It provides a platform to discuss methods for modeling and managing uncertainty, predicting and interacting with human behavior, and designing decision-making and control strategies that are both safe and transparent. Through talks, discussions, and demonstrations, the event aims to highlight advances that contribute to autonomous vehicles that are not only technically capable, but also trustworthy and well-adapted to real-world human environments.

For more information about the program and speakers, please visit https://autonomousrobots.nl/workshops/2026-act-event

Location

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

TU Delft

Lecture Hall A

Mekelweg 2

2226 CD DELFT