Autonomous Transit Roadway Coordination for High-Capacity Urban Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transportation systems, including autonomous vehicles and mass transit, face challenges in managing congestion and providing flexible, high-density transit in urban areas with minimal infrastructure and cost, especially during peak times or events.
Innovation Solution
A transportation system comprising partially autonomous vehicles and dedicated, interconnected roadways with a management system that assigns vehicles based on requests, adjusts vehicle operations for traffic flow, and coordinates continuous flow through area controllers and sensors to optimize route planning and passenger matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional mass transit systems are used to provide high capacity on planned routes, then transportation capacity is improved, but infrastructure costs become extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicles serve multiple functions: they operate on dedicated separated roadways for high-speed transit, can access general roadways for flexibility, and provide both mass transit capacity and on-demand service. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high transportation capacity without requiring extensive dedicated infrastructure like traditional mass transit systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates vehicles between separated and general roadways based on demand, and adjusts fleet size and distribution in real-time. This dynamic operation allows the system to provide high capacity where needed while minimizing infrastructure costs by utilizing existing general roadways for portions of the journey.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional mass transit systems are used to provide high capacity on planned routes, then transportation capacity is improved, but system flexibility becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The journey is segmented into two parts: high-speed transit on separated roadways for capacity-efficient movement, and flexible access/egress on general roadways. This segmentation allows the system to provide both high capacity and flexibility, as vehicles can use the separated roadway network for efficient bulk transport while maintaining access to the flexible general roadway system for customized routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the optimal mix of separated and general roadway usage for each vehicle and journey, adjusting routes and modes in real-time based on demand, traffic conditions, and passenger preferences. This dynamic allocation provides both the capacity efficiency of mass transit and the flexibility of individual vehicles.
3Ease of operation
If autonomous vehicles operate in highly congested urban areas, then individual transportation is improved, but congestion problems worsen due to overall vehicle numbers
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the advantages of individual autonomous vehicles with the efficiency of mass transit by having vehicles operate in coordinated groups or platoons on separated roadways. This merging allows individual vehicles to achieve mass transit-level efficiency in terms of road space utilization and traffic flow, thereby providing individual transportation benefits without worsening congestion.
Solution Approach 2:
The separated roadway system enables continuous flow of vehicles without the stop-and-go congestion typical of urban environments. Vehicles maintain steady speeds and optimal spacing, maximizing roadway capacity and throughput. This continuous operation allows more vehicles to serve more passengers efficiently, reducing the need for additional vehicles in congested areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes at least partially autonomous vehicles, at least partially separated interconnected roadways, and a management system. Each of the vehicles is configured to cooperate with another vehicle or an area controller. The management system is configured to receive requests to transport, which may have respective start points and respective destinations. Additionally, the management system is configured, responsive to receiving the request, to assign a vehicle to fulfill the request. The assigned vehicle is configured to transport a person from the respective start point, at least in part via the interconnected roadways, to the respective destination.