busnews.com.au May 2019 ABC^17AUTOMATED BUS DEPOTS
SELF-DRIVING buses on public roads are
still a while away, but automated bus
depots are already possible today and
can bring plenty of business advantages,
according to leading technology
academics.
A recent study undertaken by a team of
researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology, in Germany, looked into the
potential benefits of self-driving vehicles
in a bus depot in Stuttgart-Gaisburg. Each
day, 150 local public transport buses pass
through the depot, stopping at multiple
stations for refuelling, cleaning (exterior
and interior), maintenance and repairs,
inspection and parking.
The study found that the movement
betweenmostofthesestationscould
beperformedbyself-drivingvehicles
usingexistingtechnology.Theonly
functionthatcouldnotbedelegated
wastheinteriorcleaninganddamage
inspection,whicharetoocomplicated
tobeperformedbyrobots.
Itisestimatedthatthiswouldsave
thedepotmorethan€100,
(A$160,500)peryearinpersonnelcosts.
Itwouldalsohavetheaddedbenefit
ofincreasedthroughput,fewerminor
accidentsandcollisions,andwould
freeuppersonnelfortaskssuchas
vehicleserviceandotherassignments
thatincreasequality.
“Whatwasreallysurprisingtomeexample, thanks to the diverse range of
possible seating configurations.”DRIVETRAIN
The Concept EQV is driven via the front
axle by a compact electric powertrain
with an output of 150kW. And with
a top speed of 160km/h, it ensures
superior driving pleasure out of town,
too, says MB.
Energy is supplied by a lithium-ion
battery with a capacity of 100kWh. This
is installed in the vehicle’s underbody,
providing the full space in the interior
for passengers.
Soon, Mercedes-Benz Vans will be
taking the next step: a series model is
planned on the basis of the Concept
EQV that will be presented to the
public at this year’s IAA in Frankfurt
am Main.was how little equipment is required to
achieve a cost reduction,” says Professor
Eric Sax from the Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology.THE THEORY
As confined, controlled spaces with
predictable traffic flows, bus depots
are currently amongst the most feasible
areas for the introduction of self-driving
vehicles, reports Volvo. Unlike public
roads, there is no interaction with
pedestrians and other road users, and
many of the current legal barriers to
automation are not applicable. It is for
this reason increasing numbers of busoperators and public transport operators
are investigating the potential for using
automated technology in their depots,
it states.
Professor Sax, co-author of the study,
said: “Of course, software needs to be
developed to calculate the trajectories,
but this is based on common sensors in
the vehicle. They capture ordinary signs,
such as traffic lights and road marks,
and, of course, recognise obstacles in
the vehicle’s planned route.”“Our study showed that there is a
strong business case for automation
and a real opportunity.”MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
The study also argues that the concept
applied to the Stuttgart-Gaisburg depot
is scalable to other depots and that its
findings could be used in the planning of
future depots.
“The Stuttgart-Gaisburg depot was
a very compact area, with short distances,
and only 150 buses. There are many other
depots that are even better suited to
automation, where the savings could
be even greater. It depends on the
number of buses and how many
minutes drivers spend in the vehicle,
but clearly the opportunities are out
there,” he said.IN REAL OPERATION
After their successful study into the
Stuttgart-Gaisburg depot, Professor Sax
and his colleagues are now working in
close cooperation with selected public
transport companies in Germany to help
realise their concept in real operation.
Sax believes that this could be an
important starting point for autonomous
driving in general.
“We have a long way to go before we can
operate a self-driving vehicle in regular
city traffic because there are still so many
unanswered questions,” he explained.
“However, starting in a small niche,
like a bus depot, is a wonderful first step.
It helps us learn and gain experience in
situations that we can control, which will
help us to take the next steps.”“Little
equipment is
required to
achieve a cost
reduction.”