AUTONEWS

Machine learning analysis sheds light on who benefits from protected bike lanes

A new analysis from University of Toronto Engineering researchers leverages machine learning to help answer a thorny question: where should new protected bike lanes be placed to provide maximum benefit?

"Right now, some people have really good access to protected biking infrastructure: they can bike to work, to the grocery store or to entertainment venues," says Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering and lead author of a new paper published in the Journal of Transport Geography.

"More lanes could increase the number of destinations they can reach, and previous work shows that will increase the number of cycle trips taken.

"However, many people have little or no access to protected cycling infrastructure at all, limiting their ability to get around. This raises a question: is it better to maximize the number of connected destinations and potential trips overall, or is it more important to focus on maximizing the number of people who can benefit from access to the network?"

Bonsma-Fisher and her team—including her co-supervisors, Professors Shoshanna Saxe and Timothy Chan, and Ph.D. student Bo Lin—use machine learning and optimization to help inform such decisions. It's a challenge that required new computational approaches.

"This kind of optimization problem is what's called an NP-hard problem, which means that the computing power needed to solve it scales very quickly along with the size of the network," says Saxe.

"If you used a traditional optimization algorithm on a city the size of Toronto, everything would just crash. But Ph.D. student Bo Lin invented a really cool machine learning model that can consider millions of combinations of over 1,000 different infrastructure projects to test what are the most impactful places to build new cycling infrastructure."

Using Toronto as a stand-in for any large, automobile-oriented North American city, the team generated maps of future bike lane networks along major streets, optimized according to two broad types of strategies.

The first, which they called the utilitarian approach, focused on maximizing the number of trips that could be taken using only routes with protected bike lanes in under 30 minutes—without regard for who those trips were taken by.

The second, which they termed equity-based, aimed to maximize the number of people who had at least some connection to the network.

"If you optimize for equity, you get a map that is more spread out and less concentrated in the downtown areas," says Bonsma-Fisher.

"You do get more parts of the city that have a minimum of accessibility by bike, but you also get a somewhat smaller overall gain in average accessibility."

"There is a trade-off there," says Saxe.

"This trade-off is temporary, assuming we will eventually have a full cycling network across the city, but it is meaningful for how we do things in the meantime and could last a long time given ongoing challenges to building cycling infrastructure."

Another key finding was that there are some routes that appeared to be essential no matter what strategy was pursued.

"For example, the bike lanes along Bloor West show up in all of the scenarios," says Saxe.

"Those bike lanes benefit even people who don't live near them and are a critical trunk to maximizing both the equity and utility of the bike network. Their impact is so consistent across models that it challenges the idea that bike lanes are a local issue, affecting only the people close by. Optimized infrastructure repeatedly turns out in our model to serve neighborhoods quite a distance away.

The team is already sharing their data with Toronto's city planners to help inform ongoing decisions about infrastructure investments. Going forward, the team hopes to apply their analysis to other cities as well.

"No matter what your local issues, or what choices you end up making, it's really important to have a clear understanding of what goals you are aiming for and check if you are meeting them," says Bonsma-Fisher.

"This kind of analysis can provide an evidence-based, data-driven approach to answering these tough questions."

Provided by University of Toronto 

 

AUTONEWS

Researchers study how to create a public–private network for the urban distribution of goods

Estimates suggest that 4 million parcels are delivered every day in Spain, most of which are destined for the metropolitan areas of large cities, which is where 55% of the country's population lives.

Parcel delivery rates skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, as a result of the increase in online shopping, which has continued to grow by double-digit rates even since the end of the pandemic. This new mobility has aggravated the problems of traffic congestion, lack of parking and poor air quality that have been issues in urban areas for years.

As part of the EU's commitment to finding innovative solutions to reduce the negative impacts of urban freight transport, promoting intermodal transport, reducing traffic and optimizing deliveries, a group of researchers have devised a proposal for an urban goods distribution network.

"We have been studying possible solutions for years, and in addition to determining that there is no single option, we have found that much closer collaboration between the public sector and the private world is necessary," explained Cristian Castillo Gutiérrez, a member of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and a researcher in the Sustainability, Management and Transport (SUMAT) research group.

The proposed design of the network, which has been published in the European Transport Research Review, focuses on the city of Barcelona, where the researchers identified 1,057 locations for parcel delivery points. The proposal is for micro-hubs located in existing public transport stations, markets, shopping centers, post offices, car parks, buildings and collection points.

"Some public car parks have already given over spaces to private parcel companies, and we would need to see what investment the other points proposed require so that they can be created," said Castillo.

Geographical basins of the proposed micro-hubs for a medium daily demand serving 1,000 aggregated customers using the public and private approaches. Credit: European Transport Research Review (2024)

A routing algorithm...The authors not only identified these thousand potential intermodal micro-hubs for more efficient delivery of parcels in Barcelona, but they also developed an agile routing algorithm to optimize the work of delivery drivers. Equally importantly, they also advocated deliveries with cargo bikes and electric vans in order to contribute to improving the city's air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The algorithm they developed generates adaptive distribution plans which take into account micro-hub operating costs and vehicle routing costs, and uses heuristic and machine learning methods enhanced by parallelization techniques. It uses artificial intelligence to quickly produce high-quality routing plans based on transport infrastructure and modes of transport and delivery points.

The algorithm adapts dynamically, and uses multi-objective techniques so that each routing plan attains what is known as Pareto efficiency, which means that it produces plans in which it is impossible for any gain to be made in a variable without a loss elsewhere.

"The research teams involved have been developing intelligent algorithms for years that help us make optimal decisions, thereby improving the transportation and logistics services of the companies we collaborate with. In this case, these algorithms have enabled us to create new service models for citizens in urban areas, which can be of great use to public administrations," notes UPV researcher Ángel A. Juan.

According to Cristian Castillo, the real-world testing carried out in Barcelona has shown "promising results," as it provided potential scenarios for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving delivery times, and satisfying parcel companies, workers in the sector and the final recipients of the parcels.

Smart routes for rural areas...In a previous study, Professors Castillo and Álvarez used routing algorithms to increase the efficiency of health care professionals' journeys in areas located more than 45 minutes from a primary medical care center on foot or by bicycle.

The algorithms created, which are scalable and customizable, design the most efficient routes according to parameters including priorities, visit times and distance of travel. The authors carried out a simulation in Segovia, a province where 11.8% of municipalities are located more than a 45-minute walk from a primary care center, in order to put them to the test.

Provided by Open University of Catalonia 

 

AUTONEWS

Goodbye VW Golf, welcome ID.Golf: a change of generation...and technology

When a car that is half a century old, like the combustion Golf, starts to become unprofitable and hopes of leading electric mobility fade, the volcano begins to roar and it is time to start looking for the best survival plan. The future involves delaying and rethinking electrification, and the next Golf will mark that new era in 2029.

Martin Sander has been VW's new sales director since July 1, 2024. Since the 2nd of that same month, it was clear to him that more challenges than expected had to be overcome to once again make VW the world leader in production volume and sales. One of them is the loss of penetration of cars like the Golf and other “classics” in markets – mainly European – where it has always been a real best-seller, to which we must add the arrival in Europe of Asian brands, which have recovered the generation and a half disadvantage that European manufacturers had until recently, and the loss of market share in China – a drop of 2 to 1 in relation to the increase in sales. But, above all, it faces an electrification strategy with weaknesses that will require a clean slate.

The Golf 9 will be the first car based on the new SSP electric platform...Already on Martin’s second day at work, the Volkswagen board of directors postponed the launch of almost all models based on the SSP or Scalable Systems Platform, considered the megakit for modular construction in electric vehicles that will cover the different brands of the group. It is an evolution of the current PPE used by Audi and Porsche, and the necessary basis for reconciling highly connected and 100% autonomous electric cars, which is the main foundation of the Trinity Project, initially scheduled for 2026, postponed to 2029 and now definitively postponed to 2032. Before that, there are other needs at VW, and among them is connecting the present and the past: electric cars based on more flexible architectures industrially speaking, promoting software improvements thanks to the support of new partners such as Rivian and Xpeng, and shoring up the ranges using names that resonate strongly, whatever the age of the customer.

It is true that MEB has had certain weaknesses since its origin. But if VW is clear about one thing, it is that the low success of cars such as the ID.3 or ID.4, leaving aside a commercial start with stratospheric prices, does not lie in problems with the architecture, engines, batteries, autonomy or charging power, at a more than competitive level compared to more modern cars, but in the car itself. Making a transfer of power and linking the renewed Golf 8.5 to the range of combustion and plug-in hybrid versions, but based on MEB in the case of the 100% electric version, would be perfectly viable, but for Thomas Schäfer, head of the brand, it would be stumbling over the same stone again: "we want an electric Golf, but it has to be a true Golf in proportions and performance." With these guidelines, it is time to wait to produce it on the new SSP platform, already perfectly tuned.

The definitive farewell to the combustion VW Golf...Take note because critical moments are approaching: 2029 is the date on which the Golf 9 will finally be launched on the market. And yes, it will be 100% electric. This means a fifteen-month delay on the initial plans that, obviously, also drag on the renewal of the ID.4, ID.5 and other models of the group currently based on MEB, which will mutate to SSP. Other models, such as the T-Sport electric SUV, are expected in 2031, three years later than planned. In the meantime, the MEB platform will undergo an evolution in 2026 and will be renamed MEB+, while the PPE will receive an update within three years.

VW wants to offer a vehicle capable of travelling no less than 400 km in real life in its basic version, not according to homologation figures. There will be a transfer of engine and battery technology from the current PPE, especially in terms of charging speed, with a target time of 15 minutes to achieve an 80 percent charge even in its most expensive versions, with ranges that should exceed 600 km.

The GTI is back…and not just in Golf form...The GTI is back – and not just in Golf form Schäfer is also planning to bring back the legendary GTI designation for electric models – but only for true icons of the brand. Of course, an ID.Golf could meet this requirement, provided its performance is at the level of a GTI. At the IAA Mobility, VW presented an ID.GTI concept, which is expected to go into production in 2026.

The basis for VW's first electric GTI will probably be the upcoming ID.2, with an output of over 200 kW and, above all, with handling and driving pleasure that do justice to the sports car concept that has always characterised the GTI. But the Golf GTI should be technically linked to the ninth generation of this model. The GTX, introduced in the ID.4 in 2020, will continue to be linked to MEB-based sports models from the ID.3 to the ID.7.

Reporter: Raul Roncero

 

AUTONEWS

New tool helps analyze pilot performance and mental workload in augmented reality

In the high-stakes world of aviation, a pilot's ability to perform under stress can mean the difference between a safe flight and disaster. Comprehensive and precise training is crucial to equip pilots with the skills needed to handle these challenging situations.

Pilot trainers rely on augmented reality (AR) systems for teaching, by guiding pilots through various scenarios so they learn appropriate actions. But those systems work best when they are tailored to the mental states of the individual subject.

Enter HuBar, a novel visual analytics tool designed to summarize and compare task performance sessions in AR—such as AR-guided simulated flights—through the analysis of performer behavior and cognitive workload.

By providing deep insights into pilot behavior and mental states, HuBar enables researchers and trainers to identify patterns, pinpoint areas of difficulty, and optimize AR-assisted training programs for improved learning outcomes and real-world performance.

HuBar was developed by a research team from NYU Tandon School of Engineering that will present it at the 2024 IEEE Visualization and Visual Analytics Conference on October 17, 2024.

"While pilot training is one potential use case, HuBar isn't just for aviation," explained Claudio Silva, NYU Tandon Institute Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Department, who led the research with collaboration from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC). "HuBar visualizes diverse data from AR-assisted tasks, and this comprehensive analysis leads to improved performance and learning outcomes across various complex scenarios."

"HuBar could help improve training in surgery, military operations and industrial tasks," added Silva, who is also the co-director of the Visualization and Data Analytics Research Center (VIDA) at NYU.

The team introduced HuBar in a paper appearing on the arXiv preprint server, that demonstrates its capabilities using aviation as a case study, analyzing data from multiple helicopter co-pilots in an AR flying simulation. The team also produced a video about the system.

Focusing on two pilot subjects, the system revealed striking differences: One subject maintained mostly optimal attention states with few errors, while the other experienced underload states and made frequent mistakes.

HuBar's detailed analysis, including video footage, showed the underperforming copilot often consulted a manual, indicating less task familiarity. Ultimately, HuBar can enable trainers to pinpoint specific areas where copilots struggle and understand why, providing insights to improve AR-assisted training programs.

What makes HuBar unique is its ability to analyze non-linear tasks where different step sequences can lead to success, while integrating and visualizing multiple streams of complex data simultaneously.

This includes brain activity (fNIRS), body movements (IMU), gaze tracking, task procedures, errors, and mental workload classifications. HuBar's comprehensive approach allows for a holistic analysis of performer behavior in AR-assisted tasks, enabling researchers and trainers to identify correlations between cognitive states, physical actions, and task performance across various task completion paths.

An image of a performer with an AR headset, illustrating the process of capturing and analyzing data related to job-training sessions. Credit: NYU Tandon School of Engineering

HuBar's interactive visualization system also facilitates comparison across different sessions and performers, making it possible to discern patterns and anomalies in complex, non-sequential procedures that might otherwise go unnoticed in traditional analysis methods.

"We can now see exactly when and why a person might become mentally overloaded or dangerously underloaded during a task," said Sonia Castelo, VIDA Research Engineer, Ph.D. student in VIDA, and the HuBar paper's lead author.

"This kind of detailed analysis has never been possible before across such a wide range of applications. It's like having X-ray vision into a person's mind and body during a task, delivering information to tailor AR assistance systems to meet the needs of an individual user."

As AR systems—including headsets like Microsoft Hololens, Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro—become more sophisticated and ubiquitous, tools like HuBar will be crucial for understanding how these technologies affect human performance and cognitive load.

"The next generation of AR training systems might adapt in real-time based on a user's mental state," said Joao Rulff, a Ph.D. student in VIDA who worked on the project. "HuBar is helping us understand exactly how that could work across diverse applications and complex task structures."

Provided by NYU Tandon School of Engineering 

 

AUTONEWS

New research reveals how large-scale adoption of electric vehicles can improve air quality and human health

A new study from the University of Toronto's Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering suggests that large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) could lead to significant population-level health benefits.

The research team used computer simulations to show that aggressive electrification of the U.S. vehicle fleet, coupled with an ambitious rollout of renewable electricity generation, could result in health benefits worth between US$84 billion and 188 billion by 2050.

Even scenarios with less aggressive grid decarbonization mostly predicted health benefits running into the tens of billions of dollars.

"When researchers examine the impacts of EVs, they typically focus on climate change in the form of mitigating CO2 emissions," says Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, one of the co-authors of the study, which is publishedin the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"But CO2 is not the only thing that comes out of the tailpipe of an internal combustion vehicle. They produce many air pollutants that have a significant, quantifiable impact on public health. Furthermore, evidence shows that those impacts are disproportionately felt by populations that are low-income, racialized or marginalized."

Other members of the team include lead author and postdoctoral fellow Jean Schmitt, Professors Daniel Posen and Heather Maclean, and Amir F.N. Abdul-Manan of Saudi Aramco's Strategic Transport Analysis Team.

Members of this team had previously used their expertise in life-cycle assessment to build computer models that simulated the impact of large-scale EV adoption in the U.S. market.

Among other things, they showed that while EV adoption will have a positive impact on climate change, it is not sufficient on its own to meet the Paris Agreement targets. They recommended that EV adoption be used in combination with other strategies, such as investments in public transit, active transportation and higher housing density.

In their latest study, the team wanted to account for the non-climate benefits of EV adoption. They adapted their models to simulate the production of air pollutants that are common in fossil fuel combustion, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and small particles known as PM2.5.

"Modeling these pollutants is very different from modeling CO2, which lasts for decades and ends up well-mixed throughout the atmosphere," says Posen. "In contrast, these pollutants and their associated health impacts are more localized. It matters not only how much we are emitting, but also where we emit them."

While EVs do not produce any tailpipe emissions, they can still be responsible for air pollution if the power plants that supply them run on fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. This also has the effect of displacing air pollution from busy highways to the communities that live near those power plants.

Another complication is that neither the air pollution from the power grid nor that from internal combustion vehicles is expected to stay constant over time.

"Today's gasoline-powered cars produce a lot less pollution than those that were built 20 years ago, many of which are still on the road," says Schmitt.

"So, if we want to fairly compare EVs to internal combustion vehicles, we have to account for the fact that air pollution will still go down as these older vehicles get replaced. We can also see that the power grid is getting greener over time, as more renewable generation gets installed."

In the model, the team chose two main scenarios to simulate out to the year 2050. In the first, they assumed that no more EVs would be built, but that older internal combustion vehicles would continue to be replaced with newer, more efficient ones.

In the second, they assumed that by 2035, all new vehicles sold will be electric. The researchers described this as "aggressive," but it is in line with the stated intentions of many countries. For example, Norway plans to eliminate sales of non-electric vehicles next year, and Canada plans to follow suit by 2035.

For each of these scenarios, they also considered various rates for the transition of the electric grid to low-emitting and renewable energy sources, i.e., whether it stays roughly the same as the current rate, slows down, or accelerates over the next couple of decades.

Under each of these sets of conditions, the team simulated levels of air pollution across the United States. They then used established calculations commonly used by epidemiologists, actuaries and government policy analysts to correlate these pollution levels with statistical estimates of the number of years of life lost, as well as with estimates of economic value.

"Our simulation shows that the cumulative public health benefits of large-scale EV adoption between now and 2050 could run into the hundreds of billions of dollars," says Posen.

"That's significant, but another thing we found is that we only get these benefits if the grid continues to get greener. We are already transitioning away from fossil fuel power generation, and it's likely to continue in the future. But for the sake of argument, we modeled what would happen if we artificially freeze the grid in its current state. In that case, we'd actually be better off simply replacing our old internal combustion vehicles with new ones—but again, this is not a very realistic scenario."

This finding raises another question: is it more important to decarbonize the transportation sector through EV adoption, or to first decarbonize the power generation sector, which is the ultimate source of pollution associated with EVs?

"To that I would say that it's important to remember that the vehicles being sold today will continue to be used for decades," says Hatzopoulou. "If we buy more internal combustion vehicles now, however efficient they may be, we will be locking ourselves into those tailpipe emissions for years to come, and they will spread that pollution everywhere there are roads.

"We still need to decarbonize the power generation system—and we are—but we should not wait until that process is complete to get more EVs on the road. We need to start on the path to a healthier future today."

Provided by University of Toronto

AUTONEWS

How to check the aDBlue level? Step by step

Diesel cars are often blamed as a source of particulate matter, but today cars that run on diesel engines are equipped with various systems that reduce these problems. Although we know that these systems are very useful and allow the emission of polluting gases to be dramatically reduced, they can also cause complications if they are not used correctly or the necessary maintenance is not carried out.

In addition to particulate filters and the EGR system, which are elements that can cause many problems if they break down, diesel cars that meet the requirements of the Euro 6 standard also use AdBlue. This additive works by converting NOx particles into nitrogen and water vapour, eliminating part of their toxicity. AdBlue works through the SCR or catalytic converter system and like all the elements of a car, it can break down.

ADBlue is essential in reducing polluting emissions for modern diesel vehicles. Knowing how to know the aDBlue level in your car and that it is adequate is not only important for its efficient operation, but also to comply with environmental regulations. Here we explain how you can check the aDBlue level effectively.

What is aDBlue?...ADBlue is a solution composed of deionized water and urea that, when injected into the hot exhaust gases of the vehicle, breaks down into ammonia and carbon dioxide. This process helps transform nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water vapor, significantly reducing harmful emissions.

How to check the aDBlue level?...To check the aDBlue level, you must follow these steps:

-Check the indicator on the vehicle's dashboard

Most modern vehicles equipped with aDBlue systems have a specific indicator on the dashboard. This gauge will alert you when the aDBlue level is low and needs to be topped up.

It is the easiest and most straightforward method as it provides an automatic alert without the need for manual inspections.

-Inspect the aDBlue tank manually...Typically, the aDBlue tank is located near the fuel tank or in the trunk of the vehicle.

If your vehicle does not have a gauge on the dashboard or you want to confirm the level manually, you can use a dipstick to check the fluid level in the tank.

-Use an OBD2 scanner...Plug the scanner into the on-board diagnostic (OBD) port, usually located under the dashboard near the steering wheel.

The scanner will allow you to access the engine management system and check the aDBlue level, as well as identify potential problems in the system.

This tool not only checks the level, but can also offer more comprehensive diagnostics on the overall condition of the vehicle.

-Consult a specialist workshop...If you have doubts about how to carry out the check yourself or if the system indicates recurring problems, professionals can carry out a more detailed check, top up the aDBlue if necessary and provide additional maintenance.

Benefits of aDBlue:

-Emission reduction: It significantly helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, a major pollutant in diesel vehicles.

-Performance improvement: Maintaining the correct level of aDBlue ensures that the selective catalytic reduction system works efficiently, which is essential for good engine performance.

-Regulatory compliance: It ensures that your vehicle complies with environmental regulations, avoiding fines and restrictions, especially in urban areas with strict emissions regulations.

Maintaining the correct level of aDBlue is essential for the optimal performance of your vehicle and to minimise its environmental impact. With these steps, you can ensure that your vehicle not only runs efficiently, but also contributes to a cleaner environment. Perform regular checks to ensure that you always have the right amount of aDBlue in your system.

Mundoquatrorodas

AUTONEWS

New infrared camera aims to enhance safety in autonomous driving

Fall is here, bringing rain, fog, and early darkness. For road users, this means heightened caution, as visibility conditions increasingly deteriorate. Thermal imaging cameras that can reliably detect people even in poor or limited visibility conditions can ensure greater safety here. This is particularly true for autonomous vehicles where there may not be a human constantly observing the road ahead.

A team from Fraunhofer IOF has therefore set themselves the goal to develop a thermal imaging camera for road traffic applications. The result is a novel infrared camera that operates in the wavelength range of 8 to 14 micrometers—precisely the same range in which thermal radiation emitted by humans is found, both day and night. Additionally, the researchers have succeeded in realizing this technology in a particularly cost-effective yet powerful manner.

"This technology can significantly improve road safety and prevent accidents," explains project manager Martin Hubold from Fraunhofer IOF. "This is achieved by supplementing conventional camera systems and sensors, e.g. LIDAR or RADAR, under challenging visibility conditions without requiring active illumination."

Flat design with fast optics and high angular resolution...When creating the innovative infrared camera, the researchers were guided by their experience with multi-aperture cameras. "The core idea is to build the camera from several small and cost-effective uncooled bolometer arrays," says Hubold. The individual image segments are combined by software into a large overall image with a current resolution of approximately 530 x 210 pixels over a field of view of 34 x 13 degrees.

The sensors are equipped with a catadioptric optics system, composed of mirrors and prisms. This allows for an exceptionally flat design of just 10 millimeters. In cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT in Itzehoe, scalable and cost-effective lithographic methods were used for its production, along with materials established in the automotive sector. As a result, the camera boasts fast optics (F/1.1) and high angular resolution (16 pixels/degree), while maintaining a space-saving form factor.

The infrared camera is designed with a particularly wide horizontal field of view to detect pedestrians or cyclists even under poor lighting conditions, such as darkness or glare from oncoming traffic, making it well-suited for driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicles (Level 3 and above).

For comparison: The entire catadioptric optics take up only a fraction of a standard housing (shown here in gray) for conventional infrared cameras. Credit: Fraunhofer IOF

Scalable manufacturing enables diverse applications...The innovative approach of the camera utilizes commercially available infrared sensors and optics that can be manufactured at wafer scale. "By manufacturing the core optical elements at wafer level, we can simplify production and significantly reduce costs for this technology," says Hubold.

In addition to the use in autonomous vehicles, the infrared camera also offers a wide range of possibilities for other applications. These include detecting heat losses, safety applications for monitoring landfills, or during fire department operations, as well as new concepts in industrial process monitoring.

Provided by Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik IOF