Autonomous Driving meets Quantum Computing (Master/IDP/Bachelor/...)

14.05.2025, Abschlussarbeiten, Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten

A potential application of quantum computing could be autonomous driving. In this research project (Bachelor, Master) you dive deep into the possible applictaions of

Description

Quantum computing is often dismissed as pure hype with no practical applications. Critics argue that this new way of computing is far from being a viable solution to real-world problems. However, companies such as IBM, D-Wave and Google have shown significant progress in recent years, demonstrating the potential of quantum computing to revolutionize various industries.

One industry that could benefit significantly from quantum computing is autonomous driving. Although it will be a long time before quantum computers are ready for use in vehicles, the complexity of autonomous driving provides an ideal opportunity to explore new computing methods. The parallelism of quantum algorithms, enabled by the superposition of qubits, has the potential to improve a variety of applications and algorithms in autonomous driving. This could help to efficiently process enormous amounts of data and make real-time decisions in dynamic environments.

The aims of this student research project include:

• Basic understanding of quantum computing (what distinguishes quantum algorithms from classical algorithms)
• Literature research on the use of quantum computing in autonomous driving
• Presentation of the conceivable areas of application in the autonomous software stack (e.g. perception, planning, control)
• Investigation of the potential for use in decision-making and motion planning
• If there is interest and suitability, the implementation of simple quantum algorithms for real quantum computers is also an option

What you should bring:

• Basic knowledge of autonomous driving (e.g., attended a relevant lecture)
• Programming skills
• Basic understanding of quantum physics (at least high school level) and no fear of higher mathematics
• Good command of German or English
• High willingness to learn
• Interest in exploring new and unfamiliar questions

What we offer:

• A young and dynamic team
• Individual supervision
• An exciting and unexplored research field
• Thesis can be written in German or English
• All necessary work equipment provided
• On-site presence at the institute is possible but not required
• Immediate start of research work possible

If this hasn’t scared you off but instead sparked your interest, feel free to get in touch at marvin.seegert@tum.de. For a complete application, please send your CV, a current transcript of records, and a brief description of your motivation for the topic.

More information about our group can be found here: https://www.mos.ed.tum.de/avs

Kontakt: marvin.seegert@tum.de