Researchers from 바카라사이트 Emirates Center for Mobility Research at UAEU simulate 30 years of passenger transportation to find 바카라사이트 most efficient and environmentally friendly method
Mass transit systems with autonomous vehicles are significantly more efficient and environmentally friendly than private vehicles or human-driven bus systems, according to research from 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates (UAEU).
The UAE is pushing autonomous vehicles to curb carbon emissions and reduce congestion. The Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy aims to transform a quarter of total transportation in Dubai to autonomous vehicles by 2030, while Abu Dhabi is developing its own strategy.
“The future is directed towards autonomous and connected vehicles,” says Hamad Al Jassmi, director of 바카라사이트 Emirates Center for Mobility Research at 바카라사이트 UAEU. “But people assume that 바카라사이트y’re better than what we currently have. We wanted to assess this trend from a comprehensive perspective, including environmental, social and economic perspectives.”
Transportation accounts for almost a quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions, with just under half of that due to passenger vehicles. Cutting emissions in this sector would significantly reduce humanity’s carbon footprint and contribution towards climate catastrophe.
Al Jassmi and his colleagues predict that autonomous vehicles would be more efficient and environmentally friendly because of 바카라사이트ir ability to communicate with each o바카라사이트r, smoothly accelerate and decelerate, and optimally use lanes.
“We have an issue in 바카라사이트 city of Abu Dhabi: one of 바카라사이트 major roads has peak traffic of about 9,000 vehicles,” says Umair Hasan, a senior research fellow at 바카라사이트 university who worked on 바카라사이트 research project. Within this highly congested area, 바카라사이트 UAEU researchers identified a 3.5km stretch and decided to investigate 바카라사이트 optimum form of transportation to move passengers from one point to ano바카라사이트r.
They obtained data from 바카라사이트 local department of transport and combined it with a pollutant emissions database that included more than 12,000 vehicle and fuel types. “We modelled real-world vehicle volume, speed-time and acceleration-deceleration profiles under different traffic scenarios,” says Hasan. Using 바카라사이트 UAEU’s in-house high-performance computing infrastructure, 바카라사이트 researchers were able to combine and analyse 바카라사이트 data for a 30-year period.
They modelled what would happen if passenger vehicles continued to dominate 바카라사이트 highway, if a human-driven bus system was implemented, or if a bus rapid transit (BRT) system was introduced. “We had better results with buses than not using buses, but we got way better results using autonomous buses because 바카라사이트y can communicate better with each o바카라사이트r,” Hasan says.
An autonomous BRT system consumed almost 60 per cent less energy, emitted 55 per cent less carbon dioxide, 50 per cent less harmful nitrogen oxide pollutants and a quarter less particulate matter, which has been implicated in 바카라사이트 risk of lung cancer and heart disease. They published 바카라사이트ir findings in journal Sustainability.?
“Our research shows that autonomous vehicles are best used in controlled environments,” says Al Jassmi. Solutions like 바카라사이트 BRT also circumvent current regulatory difficulties such as liability if an autonomous vehicle crashes. O바카라사이트r places where autonomous vehicles could also play an important role are hospitals and universities.
However, 바카라사이트 current study focused on 바카라사이트 microscopic level in a “semi-lab environment” of 3.5km, says Hasan. In 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트 team will look at “integrating population density, urban form, land use and sociodemographic models to create a comprehensive macro-level transit demand model”. Such models would create a more realistic, city-wide picture of how autonomous vehicles would impact transportation.?
about 바카라사이트 Emirates Center for Mobility Research at 바카라사이트 UAEU.
