Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA)
2015 Automated Vehicle Symposium Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) Using Bus Steering Automation Technology to Improve Safety, Costs, and Efficiency
Greg Larson
Caltrans Division of Research, Innovation and System Information (DRISI)
Levels of Automation
Bus Rapid Transit Issues Today Customers demand high-quality transit services Agencies need a safer and more cost-effective transit system Insufficient funding for building and operating new light or heavy rail systems Space limitations for installing bus-only lanes in existing ROW Drivers complain about driving in narrow, bus-only lanes
How Does VAA Help? Potential Benefits: • Reduced right-of-way requirements and infrastructure build-out costs • “Rail-like” operations • Smoother and faster travel • Reduced operating and maintenance costs • Reduced accidents
VAA: An Enabler for BRT Feasible Region
Level of Investment (e.g. Capital Cost, Operating Cost)
Heavy Rail BRT with VAA
LRT • Fully Grade Separated • Roadway Shoulder Operations • At-Grade Transitway • Designated Arterial • Urban Circulator • Suburban Collector
BRT Bus Los Angeles Metro Rapid Los Angeles Local Bus
Level of Service/Performance Measure (e.g. Capacity, Operating Speed, Travel Time, etc.)
5
US DOT VAA Program The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the ITS Joint Program Office, awarded three cooperative agreements to demonstrate, in revenue service, one or more Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) applications for bus-based, full-size public transit vehicles.
Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) is… a technology that guides buses using magnets, just as trains are guided by tracks.
Magnetic Marker System •
•
• •
•
Superior performance -Support tight lane guidance and precision docking Robust -- Operable with all weather and road surface conditions Safety -- Can detect missing magnets Low costs -- infrastructure installation: ~$20-30k per mile for magnets installation Maintenance free for infrastructure
Automated BRT Demonstrations Automated Bus Demonstration at APTA 2003 in San Diego
Demonstration of Lane Guidance and Precision Docking Systems at 2005 ITS World Congress in San Francisco
Automated BRT Demonstration Field tests & demonstration of lane guidance system along AC Transit’s East 14th Street BRT route in San Leandro • First time testing and demonstration of the magnetic guidance in a real world urban setting • System demonstrated its repeatability and reliability under real-world conditions (with street crowns and obstacles, mixed with city traffic) • Lessons learned here benefited later VAA development • Workshop with California transit agencies received positive response
Automated BRT Demonstration
Caltrans VAA Project Objective: Demonstrate the technical feasibility of lateral vehicle guidance and how vehicle guidance can improve transit agency operational efficiency, performance and service quality
Partners: • • • •
LTD – Eugene, Oregon AC Transit – Alameda County, California UC Berkeley PATH Program FTA – Federal Transit Administration
LTD VAA Overview 23 mile BRT line • 3 miles of magnets installed
LTD maintenance yard test track One 60’ New Flyer bus equipped • • • •
Two sensor bars Steering actuator Computer controller Human-Machine Interface display
LTD Automated Bus (New Flyer 60’) Automated System Installation/Configuration J1939 connection Buzzer (2)
Instrument Cabinet (25x15x38) cm
Actuator Control computer (2) controller
HMI controller (2)
Indicators (2 sets) Switch & button GPS
Yaw rate gyro
Front & rear magnetometer sensor bars (2) Steering actuator
Magnetometer sensor boards
A Large Step Towards Deployment • Substantial new hardware and software developments that better integrate with different transit buses and improve reliability and safety • Product-like components and subsystems • Safety – Fault Detection and Handling • Infrastructure preparation: design and installation • Close collaboration with transit agencies and drivers • Real-world operating scenarios • Real-time data collection and independent evaluation • Operation in revenue service!
Can Transit Agencies be Early Adopters of Vehicle Automation? There are compelling reasons for initially focusing on heavy vehicles, such as buses, trucks, and agency maintenance vehicles: Trained, professional drivers that are more likely to be able to re-take control, if needed Well-maintained vehicles that are less likely to have failures in the first place Costs for added automation equipment are incrementally low compared to the overall cost of the vehicle Easier to add equipment, since internal data networks are based on open standards (SAE J1939) Some vehicles operate on exclusive right-of-way, which minimizes interference from human-driven vehicles Fleet Operators are open to trying new practices that reduce business costs
Questions and Discussion
Caltrans Division of Research, Innovation and System Information http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/drisi/
Caltrans provides a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system to enhance California’s economy and livability
Greg Larson
Caltrans Division of Research, Innovation and System Information (DRISI)
Levels of Automation
Bus Rapid Transit Issues Today Customers demand high-quality transit services Agencies need a safer and more cost-effective transit system Insufficient funding for building and operating new light or heavy rail systems Space limitations for installing bus-only lanes in existing ROW Drivers complain about driving in narrow, bus-only lanes
How Does VAA Help? Potential Benefits: • Reduced right-of-way requirements and infrastructure build-out costs • “Rail-like” operations • Smoother and faster travel • Reduced operating and maintenance costs • Reduced accidents
VAA: An Enabler for BRT Feasible Region
Level of Investment (e.g. Capital Cost, Operating Cost)
Heavy Rail BRT with VAA
LRT • Fully Grade Separated • Roadway Shoulder Operations • At-Grade Transitway • Designated Arterial • Urban Circulator • Suburban Collector
BRT Bus Los Angeles Metro Rapid Los Angeles Local Bus
Level of Service/Performance Measure (e.g. Capacity, Operating Speed, Travel Time, etc.)
5
US DOT VAA Program The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the ITS Joint Program Office, awarded three cooperative agreements to demonstrate, in revenue service, one or more Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) applications for bus-based, full-size public transit vehicles.
Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) is… a technology that guides buses using magnets, just as trains are guided by tracks.
Magnetic Marker System •
•
• •
•
Superior performance -Support tight lane guidance and precision docking Robust -- Operable with all weather and road surface conditions Safety -- Can detect missing magnets Low costs -- infrastructure installation: ~$20-30k per mile for magnets installation Maintenance free for infrastructure
Automated BRT Demonstrations Automated Bus Demonstration at APTA 2003 in San Diego
Demonstration of Lane Guidance and Precision Docking Systems at 2005 ITS World Congress in San Francisco
Automated BRT Demonstration Field tests & demonstration of lane guidance system along AC Transit’s East 14th Street BRT route in San Leandro • First time testing and demonstration of the magnetic guidance in a real world urban setting • System demonstrated its repeatability and reliability under real-world conditions (with street crowns and obstacles, mixed with city traffic) • Lessons learned here benefited later VAA development • Workshop with California transit agencies received positive response
Automated BRT Demonstration
Caltrans VAA Project Objective: Demonstrate the technical feasibility of lateral vehicle guidance and how vehicle guidance can improve transit agency operational efficiency, performance and service quality
Partners: • • • •
LTD – Eugene, Oregon AC Transit – Alameda County, California UC Berkeley PATH Program FTA – Federal Transit Administration
LTD VAA Overview 23 mile BRT line • 3 miles of magnets installed
LTD maintenance yard test track One 60’ New Flyer bus equipped • • • •
Two sensor bars Steering actuator Computer controller Human-Machine Interface display
LTD Automated Bus (New Flyer 60’) Automated System Installation/Configuration J1939 connection Buzzer (2)
Instrument Cabinet (25x15x38) cm
Actuator Control computer (2) controller
HMI controller (2)
Indicators (2 sets) Switch & button GPS
Yaw rate gyro
Front & rear magnetometer sensor bars (2) Steering actuator
Magnetometer sensor boards
A Large Step Towards Deployment • Substantial new hardware and software developments that better integrate with different transit buses and improve reliability and safety • Product-like components and subsystems • Safety – Fault Detection and Handling • Infrastructure preparation: design and installation • Close collaboration with transit agencies and drivers • Real-world operating scenarios • Real-time data collection and independent evaluation • Operation in revenue service!
Can Transit Agencies be Early Adopters of Vehicle Automation? There are compelling reasons for initially focusing on heavy vehicles, such as buses, trucks, and agency maintenance vehicles: Trained, professional drivers that are more likely to be able to re-take control, if needed Well-maintained vehicles that are less likely to have failures in the first place Costs for added automation equipment are incrementally low compared to the overall cost of the vehicle Easier to add equipment, since internal data networks are based on open standards (SAE J1939) Some vehicles operate on exclusive right-of-way, which minimizes interference from human-driven vehicles Fleet Operators are open to trying new practices that reduce business costs
Questions and Discussion
Caltrans Division of Research, Innovation and System Information http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/drisi/
Caltrans provides a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system to enhance California’s economy and livability
