CourseCivil, Rail & Smart Cities Applications open

Autonomous Vehicles in Urban Environments Course

Online course of 300 hours in autonomous vehicles in urban environments. 6 modules covering automated driving, perception and localisation, planning and decision-making, safety and validation, urban integration and a final project, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration3 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute certificate

Autonomous Vehicles in Urban Environments Course — studying from Ireland

Ireland's civil engineering sector is driven by public infrastructure investment in roads, water, housing and public transport, alongside rail projects such as Dublin's light rail and commuter rail upgrades. Transport Infrastructure Ireland sets standards for national roads, while Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann operate and develop the rail network. Smart city initiatives in Dublin and other urban areas create demand for engineers working on sensors, data platforms and integrated mobility systems. Typical employers include contractors, consultancies, local authorities and public agencies, with Engineers Ireland providing professional recognition.

Fees for Ireland: €797 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in Ireland

  • Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)
  • Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann)
  • Engineers Ireland
  • Institution of Engineers of Ireland (IEI)

Typical roles

  • Civil Engineer
  • Rail Systems Engineer
  • Transport Planning Engineer
  • Smart City Infrastructure Engineer

Questions from Ireland

Is a SEIUM qualification recognised for chartered civil or rail engineering status in Ireland?

Chartered engineer status in Ireland is administered by Engineers Ireland, which sets its own criteria for membership and registration. Rail is regulated in part by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail-related bodies, while building and infrastructure standards involve other authorities. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is for those bodies and employers to decide.

Do Irish civil, rail and smart-city employers consider private online engineering study?

Irish infrastructure, consultancy and local authority employers usually weigh chartered status, project experience and relevant degrees heavily. A private online qualification may be considered as supporting evidence of skills, but its value is at each employer's discretion. We cannot promise any outcome, so discuss it with prospective employers.

Can I study alongside a site or office job, and is employer funding common?

The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Many Irish employers have continuing professional development budgets, so ask yours.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand automation levels and the operational design domain.

02

Describe perception and localisation technologies.

03

Analyse planning and decision-making in urban environments.

04

Apply functional safety and scenario-based validation criteria.

05

Understand the regulatory framework for automated vehicles.

06

Assess the integration of autonomous services into the city.

07

Design a pilot for an urban autonomous service.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Automated driving engineers.
  • ADAS validation engineers.
  • Perception specialists working with cameras, LiDAR and radar.
  • Autonomous mobility consultants.
  • Urban planning officers preparing cities for automation.
  • Mobility pilot managers.
  • Engineering or science graduates aiming to join vehicle manufacturers.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • SAE J3016 (levels of driving automation)
  • ISO 26262 (functional safety of road vehicles)
  • ISO 21448 (safety of the intended functionality, SOTIF)
  • UNECE Regulation No. 157 (Automated Lane Keeping Systems)
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426 (type approval of automated driving systems)
  • UNECE Regulation No. 155 (vehicle cybersecurity)
  • DGT Instruction 15/V-113 (Spanish rules for testing automated vehicles)
  • ISO 34502 (test scenarios for safety evaluation)
  • CARLA
  • Autoware
  • ROS 2
  • MATLAB Automated Driving Toolbox
  • OpenSCENARIO
Syllabus

6 modules

  1. 1.1SAE J3016 levels of automation
  2. 1.2Operational design domain (ODD)
  3. 1.3Perception, planning and control architecture
  4. 1.4Handover of control to the driver
  5. 1.5Robotaxis and autonomous shuttles
  6. 1.6The experiences of Waymo, Cruise and Baidu Apollo
  7. 1.7Differences between urban and motorway environments
  8. 1.8Current state and technological limitations
  9. 1.9Expected impacts on urban mobility
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of a robotaxi service
  1. 2.1Cameras and computer vision
  2. 2.2LiDAR and point clouds
  3. 2.3Radar and sensor fusion
  4. 2.4Localisation with GNSS, odometry and IMU
  5. 2.5High-definition maps
  6. 2.6Pedestrian and cyclist detection
  7. 2.7Adverse weather conditions
  8. 2.8Deep learning in perception
  9. 2.9Edge cases and rare situations
  10. 2.10Lab: object detection with an open dataset
  1. 3.1Trajectory prediction for other road users
  2. 3.2Route and behaviour planning
  3. 3.3Motion planning
  4. 3.4Interaction with traffic lights and junctions
  5. 3.5Behaviour at pedestrian crossings
  6. 3.6Negotiation in dense environments
  7. 3.7Longitudinal and lateral control
  8. 3.8Defensive driving and safety margins
  9. 3.9Support from V2X communication
  10. 3.10Practical: simulating a junction in CARLA
  1. 4.1Functional safety: ISO 26262
  2. 4.2Safety of the intended functionality (SOTIF)
  3. 4.3Scenario-based validation
  4. 4.4Simulation, closed-track and open-road testing
  5. 4.5Safety performance indicators
  6. 4.6Cybersecurity of automated vehicles
  7. 4.7UNECE regulation of ALKS
  8. 4.8Type approval of automated vehicles in the EU
  9. 4.9Ethics of automated decisions
  10. 4.10Workshop: catalogue of critical urban scenarios
  1. 5.1Automation-ready infrastructure
  2. 5.2Machine-readable signage and road markings
  3. 5.3Passenger pick-up and drop-off zones
  4. 5.4Integration with public transport
  5. 5.5Testing on public roads and the Spanish DGT framework
  6. 5.6Social acceptance and trust
  7. 5.7Impact on parking and land use
  8. 5.8Employment and workforce transition
  9. 5.9Civil liability and insurance
  10. 5.10Case study: pilot plan for an autonomous shuttle
  1. 6.1Defining the use case
  2. 6.2Delimiting the operational domain
  3. 6.3Infrastructure requirements
  4. 6.4Risk and scenario analysis
  5. 6.5Validation plan
  6. 6.6Regulatory requirements and permits
  7. 6.7Integration with urban mobility
  8. 6.8Evaluation indicators
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final project: final review with your tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme fits around full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is CARLA, Autoware, ROS 2, MATLAB Automated Driving Toolbox and OpenSCENARIO, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: simulation of critical urban scenarios, closed-track testing and autonomous shuttle pilots. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final capstone project.

Standards covered: SAE J3016; ISO 26262; ISO 21448; UNECE Regulation No. 157; Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426; UNECE Regulation No. 155; DGT Instruction 15/V-113; ISO 34502.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of SAE J3016, ISO 26262 and ISO 21448 (SOTIF) applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:CARLA, Autoware, ROS 2, MATLAB Automated Driving Toolbox and OpenSCENARIO, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:a pilot design for an urban autonomous service, from the use case and operational domain to the risk analysis, validation plan and permits, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Use case and ODD
Define the autonomous service use case and delimit its operational design domain.
Infrastructure requirements
Identify the infrastructure needed along the route.
Risk and scenario analysis
Analyse risks and build a catalogue of critical scenarios.
Validation and permits
Draw up the validation plan and the regulatory requirements for testing.
Final project
Present the complete pilot with urban integration and evaluation indicators, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Automated driving engineerADAS validation engineerPerception specialistAutonomous mobility consultantUrban planning officerMobility pilot manager
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior qualification is required.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with CARLA, Autoware, ROS 2, MATLAB Automated Driving Toolbox and OpenSCENARIO, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

No prior qualification is required: you only need an internet connection, a computer capable of running the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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