Public transport
Sections
Highlight
Sections
Highlight
Big data, the generation of information, its processing and analysis, the ability to measure everything and make operational decisions with the help of technology. The future of public transport is increasingly linked to artificial intelligence (AI). Hardly surprising then that it was the central theme of the last annual conference of urban and metropolitan transport operators (Atuc) held at Malaga's Palacio de Ferias.
At the head of the organisation is Miguel Ruiz, who is also the managing director of EMT (the city's municipal public transport company), and he is increasingly clear about how they should frame this service. The new challenge? Smart bus shelters, but for what purpose?
"EMT intends to design an ecosystem between the users of EMT's mobile app, the bus shelters, the actual bus and the central system, all framed within the scope of the bus shelter itself," is how the tender document specifies what is required of the winning contract.
Firstly, the aim is to detect the presence of possible users at this type of bus shelter and to get to know the waiting times of EMT users at each stop in real time. Next, to acquire, by means of subsequent data analysis, the waiting times of passengers at each bus shelter, identifying the bus line used by each user. Also, to establish different communication channels in the triangle created between bus shelter-bus-user and to improve the real-time information provided to users as well as getting to know their travel habits.
What can be improved with the data? Planning double bus shelters where needed, improving routes and service lines, having more or fewer seats? In other words, bringing supply and demand closer together and improving the passenger experience.
The tender value is 277,031 euros excluding taxes and has to be completed by the end of the year because it has funding under the EU's recovery and resilience plan.
The hardware to be supplied by the winning company should enable the counting of people in close proximity of the shelter, directly under its roof and close by. The technology shall be motion-based and not image-based. It should also detect the arrival of the bus via the Beacons system (devices that use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to detect objects). "The information emitted by the bus shall be related to its occupancy level, its interior temperature and other parameters related to the comfort and air quality inside the bus," says the specification document.
All equipment shall be prepared to operate in temperatures ranging from zero to 65 degrees Celsius, be as fully integrated as possible with the bus shelter and have protective features.
"The device for the detection and counting of persons shall include all methods, algorithms, procedures, functions and mechanisms for acquiring, processing and analysing real-world data to detect the number of real people, and producing a numerical result capable of transfer to a CPU for processing," it continues.
The detection device shall provide a wide detection area of up to 100 square metres with a viewing angle of 120°. In any case, it shall have a minimum range of 10 metres for pedestrian detection. This shall enable comprehensive passenger counting at busy bus stops. The sensor shall support bi-directional people counting within multiple zones, differentiating between incoming and outgoing passengers. The data shall be in real time.
A section is also included for people with disabilities who cannot always tell the driver that they need to stop at that particular stop. To this end it is proposed to equip each bus shelter with a luminous beacon similar to those used at the exits of underground car parks, tunnels and roads in accordance with current regulations. This beacon will be activated automatically once a stop has been requested and will remain lit until the arrival of the requested bus, indicating to the driver that the stop must be made even if no signal is received from passengers waiting at the bus shelter. A beacon shall be installed at each bus shelter.
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Debido a un error no hemos podido dar de alta tu suscripción.
Por favor, ponte en contacto con Atención al Cliente.
¡Bienvenido a SURINENGLISH!
Tu suscripción con Google se ha realizado correctamente, pero ya tenías otra suscripción activa en SURINENGLISH.
Déjanos tus datos y nos pondremos en contacto contigo para analizar tu caso
¡Tu suscripción con Google se ha realizado correctamente!
La compra se ha asociado al siguiente email
Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados
¿Ya eres registrado?
Inicia sesiónNecesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.