Technology Adoption

Lead researcher - Mr Erik van Vulpen

About - The Victorian Department of Transport, Victoria Police and Yarra Trams regularly run education campaigns to highlight the risk of merging or turning into the path of trams. Although education campaigns about driving with trams are repeated regularly, safety issues and disruptions continue to occur. The opportunity to provide context-specific warnings is a new useful tool to improve transport network safety.

Project objective

• Develop a system that enables trams to communicate with surrounding vehicles to reduce the likelihood of traffic incidents and improve tram passenger safety.

Project solutions

• We built and trialed a Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) to enable trams to communicate safety awareness messages with surrounding vehicles to alert drivers of an approaching tram and passenger embarkation/disembarkation.
• We demonstrated that C-ITS has the potential to mitigate vehicle collisions with both trams and passengers, hence enhancing the efficiency and safety of public transportation.

Partners - Lexus, Yarra Trams, AIMES

Lead researcher – Mr Erik van Vulpen

Project background

Our team in partnership with Keolis Downer, RACV, HMI Technologies and ARRB proposed an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) pilot program. This was to offer a sustainable transport solution in response to the VicRoads Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Transport Technology Grants Program in March 2016.

The goal of the project was to raise awareness of AV technology capabilities and demonstrate the potential benefits of autonomous shuttles on roads providing greener, smarter, more accessible and affordable transport in the future.

Our project was Victoria’s first autonomous shuttle trial. We completed our test trial, with the focus on the ‘first and last mile transport’ at La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus, allowing the public to interact with AV technologies in an urban environment.

Project objectives

• To show the benefits of integrating autonomous vehicles with existing transport systems and allowing the public to interact with our vehicle while showcasing its capability of improving mobility services.
• Establish the commercial, legal and technical framework of adopting autonomous vehicles into current public transport systems and creating a long-term solution to enhance connectivity across all modes of transport reducing operational costs and improving accessibility to people.

Project solutions

• This first autonomous vehicle trial in Victoria, with the Autonobus at the La Trobe University campus in Bundoora, delivered insights on the potential integration of autonomous vehicle transport across various aspects including the regulatory framework, safety provisions, operational services, legal framework and financial benefits.
• The test trial highlighted the factors that end-users would need such as efficiency, accessibility and benefits of integration to motivate the use of an automated shuttle.

Partners – Keolis Downer, HMI, VicRoads, ARRB and RACV

Lead researcher –  Mr Erik van Vulpen

Project background

Several technologies have the potential to deliver a frictionless ticketing experience. This means, the traveller can simply walk through gates and onto a platforms and be issued with a ticket automatically. There is no need to tap on and off. This project looks at different ways to achieve this goal.

Project objectives

• Look at the challenges and potential benefits of a frictionless ticketing system. Will this improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Develop different systems to make frictionless ticketing possible and consider potential challenges for the end user and supplier.

Project solutions

• Four different options were put forward for consideration. We had to address many different issues including making the system as easy as possible for travellers with a disability.
• With the help of the Physical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN) and the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO), we held a series of online information sessions and focus groups to talk to people with lived disabilities. We also talked to a number of disability sector groups, as well as public transport experts managing a lived disability.
• We also talked directly to transport operators to understand their viewpoint. This was supported by a review of current regulations, a literature review and analysis of transport operator websites from around the world.

Partners – Transport for NSW, iMOVE, AFDO, PDCNSW

Lead researcher –  Mr Erik van Vulpen

Problem:
How can 5 councils work together deploying a shared IoT network?

Solution:
Building and deploying shared IOT network and services for 5 local governments (city councils) and services in Melbourne’s North. One of the largest IoT networks in Australia: 48 LoRaWan base-stations installed through a Federal Grant (LTU/RMIT/Councils). CTI provided input into network build, and led data-management, analytics and dashboards solutions for 5 use cases: Air-quality, water level, people counting, asset tracking and waste bin management

Partners – Whittlesea Council, Banyule City Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Mitchell Shire Council, Merri-bek (formerly Moreland) City Council

Lead researcher –  Mr Erik van Vulpen

Problem:
Melbourne has world’s longest tram network by track length but has one of the lowest average speed than any other world city

Solution:
IOT technology and virtual detectors and context sensitive algorithms improve traffic light priority setting to be more effective. We developed 25 on board units (OBU’s) that are integrated with the tram’s analogue and digital data to provide accurate priority requests to SCATS via DSRC. We designed and managed a real time data environment (1 gigabyte of data per day) and developed algorithms that predict the arrival of the tram at a light, and we analyses the results using programmatic big data analysis techniques.

Partners – VicRoads, ARRB, YarraTrams

Lead researcher –  Mr Erik van Vulpen

Problem:
What is the next generation race timing and tracking solution for deployment across the state)

Solution:
Assist with technology review, deep tech assessment, commercial review, and live field trials. We developed an even more accurate benchmarking tool using industrial line camera’s and deployed this under race conditions. We also conducted field wireless spectrum tests to identify potential sources of interference. The recommendations were fully adopted by Racing Victoria.