Diploma in Curbside Robotics: Navigation and Safety
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in sidewalk and curbside robots: navigation and safety. 8 modules covering delivery robot services, low-cost perception, localisation and maps, socially aware navigation, curbside delivery, robot safety and fleet operation, with ISO 13482:2014, ISO 12100:2010 and ANSI/RIA R15.08-1, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Curbside Robotics: Navigation and Safety — studying from Malta
Malta is developing a niche in digital and software-intensive technologies, including connected mobility and vehicle-related software. The island's strong information technology and telecommunications base provides a natural foundation for work on advanced driver assistance, vehicle data and embedded software. Opportunities tend to arise with software houses, technology consultancies and multinational companies with engineering centres on the island. Professionals working in this area benefit from familiarity with functional safety standards and the software development practices used across the automotive value chain.
Fees for Malta: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Who regulates engineering practice and vehicle safety relevant to ADAS in Malta?
Engineering as a profession in Malta is regulated through the Chamber of Engineers (KSU) under the Engineering Profession Act, which governs the use of the title 'engineer'. Vehicle type approval and roadworthiness are handled by Transport Malta, and EU-level vehicle regulations apply. A SEIUM qualification is a private one and is not accredited by a national body, so its recognition depends on employers or the relevant authority.
Which Maltese employers could use ADAS or software-defined vehicle skills?
Demand in Malta is mainly from software, electronics and digital engineering firms, some serving automotive clients abroad, along with vehicle service and fleet operators. Large autonomous-vehicle deployment is not a major local sector, so roles are often remote or international. Employers will assess your portfolio, experience and any formal credentials, so present the qualification alongside concrete project work.
Can I study this at my own pace from Malta, and what language and workload should I expect?
Yes. Programmes are 100% online and taught in English, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. No student visa is needed to study from home. Time zone is usually not a barrier since you study asynchronously, but confirm the schedule with the institute. Plan around your working hours, and ask about instalment payments and employer sponsorship.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse service models for sidewalk and curbside robots.
Design low-cost perception systems for sidewalks.
Localise robots in pedestrian environments.
Implement socially aware navigation.
Design the delivery interaction with the customer.
Assess robot safety against recognised standards.
Validate and operate robot fleets on public roads.
Who it's for
- Mobile robotics engineers moving into last-mile delivery.
- Autonomous navigation engineers working in pedestrian environments.
- Robot safety engineers who need to apply ISO 13482 and ISO 12100.
- Robot fleet managers overseeing day-to-day operations.
- Perception engineers focused on low-cost sensor stacks.
- Last-mile operations managers evaluating robotic delivery.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter last-mile logistics.
What you'll work with
- ISO 13482:2014 (safety requirements for personal care robots)
- ISO 12100:2010 (machinery risk assessment and risk reduction)
- ANSI/RIA R15.08-1 (safety of industrial mobile robots)
- ISO 13849-1:2023 (safety-related parts of control systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (EU Machinery Regulation)
- IEC 61508 (functional safety of electrical/electronic systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation)
- ROS 2 with Nav2
- Gazebo
- NVIDIA Isaac Sim
- OpenStreetMap
- PyTorch
8 modules
1.1Typologies: sidewalk, curbside and road robots1.2Use cases in food and parcel delivery1.3Hardware architecture of a delivery robot1.4Speeds, masses and kinetic energy1.5Interaction with pedestrians and street furniture1.6Experiences of Starship, Kiwibot and others1.7Remote supervision of robot fleets1.8Unit economics of robotic delivery1.9Social acceptance and vandalism1.10Case study: analysis of a robotic delivery service on a campus
2.1Low-cost sensors: cameras, ultrasound and radar2.2Detection of pedestrians, pets and cyclists2.3Detection of kerbs, steps and ramps2.4Surfaces: paving stones, grass and snow2.5Detection of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights2.6Segmentation of traversable sidewalk areas2.7Operation at night and in rain2.8Low-power onboard computing2.9Evaluation of perception performance2.10Laboratory: traversable sidewalk segmentation with PyTorch
3.1Sidewalk maps and pedestrian networks3.2OpenStreetMap for pedestrian navigation3.3GNSS in urban canyons3.4Visual localisation with feature maps3.5Wheel and inertial odometry3.6SLAM in pedestrian environments3.7Updating maps with the fleet3.8Accuracy required at crossings3.9Handling areas without coverage3.10Practical exercise: localisation with AMCL on a campus map
4.1Socially aware navigation4.2Pedestrian prediction models4.3Personal space and proxemics4.4Planning with Nav2 and costmaps4.5Road crossings and pedestrian traffic lights4.6Giving way and communicating intent4.7Navigation in crowds4.8Recovery from blockages4.9Behaviour in lifts and building entrances4.10Workshop: social planner in Gazebo
5.1Kerbside management and loading zones5.2Transfer from mothership vans5.3Curbside robots versus sidewalk robots5.4Delivery interface with the customer5.5Identification and secure opening of the compartment5.6Accessibility for customers with disabilities5.7Communication with passers-by5.8Handling failed deliveries5.9Integration with logistics platforms5.10Case study: designing a curbside delivery with a mothership van
6.1Risk assessment according to ISO 121006.2Personal care and mobility robots according to ISO 134826.3Industrial mobile robots and ANSI/RIA R15.086.4Stop and limited-speed functions6.5Functional safety with ISO 138496.6Risks for older people, children and blind people6.7Impact with pedestrians and maximum energy6.8Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery6.9Cybersecurity of the robot and the fleet6.10Practical exercise: risk analysis of a sidewalk robot
7.1Simulation testing of pedestrian environments7.2Testing on campuses and in controlled environments7.3Safety and intervention indicators7.4Remote supervision and robot-to-operator ratios7.5Maintenance and battery management7.6Handling incidents on public roads7.7Insurance and civil liability7.8Scaling the fleet7.9Communication with the city council7.10Workshop: indicator dashboard for a robot fleet
8.1Definition of the service and the environment8.2Sensor and computing design8.3Localisation strategy8.4Socially aware navigation8.5Delivery design8.6Risk analysis8.7Validation plan8.8Fleet operation plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is 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 each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. You work with ROS 2 with Nav2, Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, OpenStreetMap and PyTorch, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: simulation of navigation among pedestrians, pilot tests on a university campus, and risk assessment on public roads. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 13482:2014, ISO 12100:2010, ANSI/RIA R15.08-1, ISO 13849-1:2023, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, IEC 61508, Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme 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.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with ROS 2 with Nav2, Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, OpenStreetMap and PyTorch, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, 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.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the 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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