Next generation traffic management for empowering CAVs integration, cross-stakeholders collaboration and proactive multi-modal network optimization

Project Information

FRONTIER

Grant agreement ID: 955317

DOI

10.3030/955317

Project closed

EC signature date 26 March 2021

Start date 1 May 2021

End date 30 April 2024

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 4 998 963,75

EU contribution

€ 4 998 963,50

Coordinated by

FUNDACIO EURECAT
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FRONTIER (Next generation traffic management for empowering CAVs integration, cross-stakeholders collaboration and proactive multi-modal network optimization)

Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2024-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Mobility is undergoing an unprecedented transformation as it enters a new era where connectivity becomes seamless, electric and automated vehicles are incipient. Also, the continuous demographic shift and consequential urbanisation places significant pressure on the transport networks that serve large conurbations. This transition brings a considerable level of uncertainty to traffic and network management operators who must handle almost seamlessly integrated multimodal services and deploy network management strategies and plans in infrastructures of varying technological readiness under mixed traffic environments.

Stakeholders thus need to be prepared for effective traffic and network management strategies. Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) and the emerging area of ‘digital-age transportation systems’ are the means for efficiently moving into this new era. Transport data need to be enriched with information coming from new mobility technologies and services. The new generation of simulation and operational systems for future traffic and network management need to cater for proactive decisions and maintain network equilibrium.

Elevated congestion and pollution levels cause costly delays and induce lifetime health and safety issues as well as frustration to citizens. In the future, there will be the need to deliver cost effective solutions that significantly decrease high levels of congestion and ensure networks’ resilience also in extreme situations, improve the Citizen’s quality of life by supporting the reduction of transportation related emissions (including CO2, NOx and particulates), adhere to sustainability goals set by EU regulations, and improve citizens’ safety for the realization of a zero traffic accidents vision.

Overall objective: FRONTIER follows a cognitive approach based on the Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) loop of situational awareness recognized as one of the main models for quick, effective and proactive decision making - the key for continuous situational awareness. This model recognizes decision-making occurring in a recurring cycle of unfolding interactions with the environment, guided by cues inherent in tradition, experience and analysis. These cues inform hypotheses about the current and emerging situation that, in turn, drive actions that test hypotheses.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the 2nd period of the project (M19-M36):

(O1) Validation of the FRONTIER solutions. Classification Index for Smart Infrastructures (SRICI) to assess the readiness of different infrastructures to support future transport operations.

(O2) Enhancement of solutions and their integration into the 'Observe' layer of the FRONTIER architecture. The project’s big-data architecture was further developed within a Kubernetes containerization framework and Apache Spark was utilized as the backbone of its distributed processing architecture. Context-aware services were enhanced through the development of advanced situation detection models.

(O3) Dynamic models for representing passenger and freight demands. Simulation framework for the evaluation of dynamic supply and demand scenarios for traffic streams with various CAVs penetration rates. Network and vehicle/local level CCAM controllers. Novel organisational structures, business and arbitration models necessary for the realisation of multi-actor ecosystems. Holistic decision support framework for network management.

(O5) Group of services that can support decisions at different stages of the concept of operations: a response plan generator for the mitigation of an incident; a service that evaluates them; a response plan propagation service; 2 applications for access and interaction with the solutions.

(O7) First and the second round of the pilots. The OOADA functionalities of ANTME were validated, allowing objectives (O2) Observe, (O3) Orient, (O4) Decide and (O5) Act to be successfully fulfilled. FRONTIER validations and demonstrations in Antwerp ( shift from roadway to waterway), Athens (symbiotic relationship of various stakeholders in a multimodal environment) and Oxfordshire (CAV integration and multimodality).

(O8) Dissemination, communication, exploitation and impact activities.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

As part of the state-of-the-art review carried out during the early stages of the project the following research gaps and needs were identified as to be addressed by FRONTIER, and are still valid in the second project period:

- Need for designing and testing new collaborative business models for traffic management which will be dynamic in nature, while taking into consideration the rapid technological developments, the IoT, and the emergence of new mobility schemes and freight distribution systems.
- Lack of win-win arbitration models that specifically analyse how to deal when there are conflicting interests among the stakeholders that stand in the middle of the global objectives.
- Need of data management and data fusion pipelines that take into account recent EU directives that promote data sharing and use in mobility data spaces.
- Need to enhance the explainability of AI tools used for traffic estimation, traffic forecasting and incident detection and incorporate them to actionable traffic and network management services.
- Need to develop approaches that allow the generation of response plans in a dynamic way, utilising advanced data fusion techniques for more precise simulation outputs and considering needs of various stakeholders operating in the affected areas.
- Need to integrate CAVs as part of a holistic network and traffic management ecosystem of services and explore the potential of CAVs as controllers of traffic.
- Need for simulation models and tools that can assess centralised and decentralised traffic management strategies for different penetration rates of CAVs in traffic streams.

The FRONTIER solutions advance the state of the art by offering a distinct approach in the traffic management industry, characterized by the following Unique Selling Points (USPs):

1. Integrated Multi-modal Coordination: ANTME provides a holistic approach to traffic management by integrating different modes of transportation, facilitating seamless coordination and response plans across the corridor.
2. Real-time Analytics and Proactive Demand Management: Leveraging advanced incident detection and analytics, ANTME proactively manages traffic demand, reducing congestion and enhancing the flow of movement.
3. Unified Communication and Collaboration Platform: With its collaborative user management tools (Graphical User Interface and Mobile Application), ANTME breaks down silos among stakeholders, ensuring swift and effective communication and data sharing.
4. Flexible and Adaptable Workflow Management: The platform's modular and scalable workflow manager allows for dynamic adaptation to changing conditions, user needs and organizational structures, fostering continuous improvement and efficiency.
5. Data-driven Performance Optimization: ANTME commits to ongoing enhancement and performance monitoring, utilizing data and targeted KPIs to refine operations and ensure sustained operational excellence.

ANTME's unique selling points are encapsulated in its comprehensive, intelligent, and collaborative approach to traffic management. It utilizes advanced technology to boost situational awareness, decision-making, and operational efficiency, striking a balance between automation and human interaction.

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