New intelligence for urban mobility

como 14 | May 2015
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Issue 14 | May 2015 | www.siemens.com/mobility
como
Facts, Trends and Stories on Integrated Mobility
New intelligence
for urban mobility
Driverless
urban travel
One Station by
Christian Höhn
How automation is
supporting mobility
An exhibition project
in the DB Museum
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welcome
„
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Electrification, automation
and digitalization represent
big possibilities and big
opportunities in virtually
every area of life.“
Dear readers,
Electrification, automation, digitalization – these three
terms represent big possibilities and big opportunities in virtually every area of life. They describe the current technical
development toward greater efficiency, optimization and
slicker organization of various processes – for example in
the world’s rapidly growing urban regions. The current issue
of como therefore takes a look at the many options that a
digitalized world opens up to us in the area of mobility.
The digitalization of our environment is clearly not an
entirely new phenomenon. Digital technology and the Internet, data transfer via radio and smartphone apps mean that
the mobile society already finds itself in the midst of transition. We have become entirely accustomed to “thinking”
software controlling, monitoring and managing complex
processes fully automatically and helping us make decisions
by intelligently linking data. That also goes for transport and
traffic – for example with prescriptive services that improve
availability, with automation systems that increase capacities, and with innovative technologies that enhance passenger experience. IT and automation are therefore among the
crucial technical requirements for sustainable infrastructure
solutions in the smart cities of tomorrow – with smart
grids, intelligent buildings and integrated transport systems. Only in this way can productivity, efficiency and
quality be improved in a sustainable manner.
“Sustainable solutions can only arise on the basis of
a holistic vision,” recalls Professor Martin zur Nedden,
Scientific Director and Managing Director of the German
Institute for Urban Studies, in his interview starting on
page 8. In the current issue of como we connect the dots
between “talking” roadside infrastructure, automatic parking space location using radar sensors, “learning” software
and innovative ideas and inventions for the future of urban
mobility.
Modern transport management systems link up roads
and rail, networked information systems show passengers
efficient travel routes, and driverless subway trains adapt
flexibly to passenger volume. How automated public transport systems can ensure mobility in the smart city of
tomorrow and how even existing metro systems can be
effectively modernized – read about all this and more in
the current issue.
Our centerfold piece serves as a reminder that transport
has other fascinating aspects, too. In it we present “One Station
– Poetry of Railway Stations,” a series of remarkable photographs from the Nuremberg-based artist Christian Höhn.
But read on and see for yourself – I ‘m sure you’ll find
plenty of interesting content.
Yours sincerely,
Karina Rigby
Siemens Mobility, Vice President
Business Development and Strategy
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Contents
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4Say something!
Safety comes first, which is a
good reason for cars, traffic
signals and other cooperative
systems to start talking to one
another.
8 Cities in transition
Digitalization is the future – as
long as it enhances the appeal
of public transport, says
Professor Martin zur Nedden,
Scientific Director and Managing
Director of the German Institute
for Urban Affairs.
focus
12 Efficient mobility – in the
smart city of tomorrow
Pressure on urban living is
on the rise, and cities are
constantly facing new challenges. Which smart strategies
can the city employ to reinvent itself – and become truly
sustainable?
18 The Poetry of Railway Stations
An ode to the railway station:
the Nuremberg-based photographer Christian Höhn traveled
five continents and created
portraits of literary settings
with rail connections.
3
contents
move
28 Sleepless in Riyadh
The world’s largest metro
project: Siemens employees
report.
30 Digital metro
Urban transport on the path to
automatic operation.
34 Smarter parking
Searching for a place to park is a
nuisance. But soon you can be
notified of free spaces directly in
your car.
connect
38 Ideas for the future
When young inventors think
about tomorrow, they come up
with remarkable solutions.
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When cars, dynamic traffic
signs, weather data systems and light signals
talk to one other, the big winner is road safety. Vehicles,
traffic control centers and infrastructure communicate
with one another as cooperative systems and pass
on important traffic announcements and warnings to the
driver – long before dangers or disruptions actually appear
in view. And this is not a vision for the future: so-called
Vehicle2X communication is already being put to the
test on an intelligent transport system (ITS) corridor
between Rotterdam and Vienna.
Say
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D
riving is becoming an increasingly frustrating activity: Germany’s car drivers spend an
average of 35 hours per year in traffic
jams, consuming around 11 billion
extra liters of fuel – the economic
cost of traffic jams alone came to
around €7.4 billion in 2013. On top
of this are growing safety risks in
dense city traffic, at confusing
intersections or roadwork
sites – enough reasons to
improve how road traffic
is organized using smart
technology.
Car2X, data communication between the car
and other vehicles or
smart road infrastructure, is one such technology. The most important factor in ensuring a
smooth journey is a realtime exchange of data:
when drivers have up-todate information on the
weather and road conditions, traffic volume and
roadwork sent directly to their
car or mobile device, they can
adjust their driving behavior to
the present conditions in plenty
of time. Transport experts are certain
that better-informed drivers save energy and cause fewer accidents.
horizon
5
Modern talking between
Rotterdam and Vienna
Smart road infrastructure has been a
reality for some time now. Siemens
is involved in various pilot projects in
Germany and abroad, and has carried
out extensive research into the topic
of interaction between cars and infrastructure in recent years. Car2X communication is currently being tested
on an ITS corridor from Rotterdam to
Vienna via Frankfurt. This collaborative
project, which has political support
from the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, unites Siemens with companies
and institutions including NXP, Honda,
Cohda Wireless, IBM, the certification
company TÜV Süd, and the German
and Dutch automobile clubs AvD and
ANWB, respectively. The goal is to explore the technology’s potential and
to develop solutions that are ready for
series production.
Roadside units – installed discreetly,
almost invisibly, on traffic lights in
urban areas or on freeway gantries –
play an essential role in traffic communication, forming the interface
between vehicle and infrastructure.
The roadside units link up the vehicles
and the infrastructure, including the
Car2X control centers. Communication
is based on IEEE 802.11p, a WLAN
standard specially adapted for Car2X
something!
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The app for safely crossing the road
A smartphone app can make blind and visually impaired
pedestrians safer
Safely crossing the road is often no small matter for the blind and
visually impaired. Even everyday errands such as going to the supermarket or visiting the doctor can become a challenge, for instance
when mobile construction sites or a change in the course of traffic
alters their familiar route. A special smartphone app aims to increase
urban traffic safety for these pedestrians. Over the last three years, as
part of the research project “Urban Mobility Support for the Blind and
Visually Impaired” by Braunschweig University of Technology, the
German Aerospace Center and Siemens as a technical partner, a prototype app, an online route planner and the accompanying technical
infrastructure have been developed to make intersections safer for
pedestrians with visual impairments. The system works by infrastructure components transmitting acoustic and haptic information to
mobile devices via WLAN – using Vehicle2X technology as a basis.
applications. Compared to cellphone
networks, which can be slow or unstable, this direct link between road
users and infrastructure ensures that
traffic and vehicle data can be transferred smoothly and without delay.
Reliably providing drivers with information is only one benefit, however. Vehicles, in turn, can gather data
directly from the traffic or weather
conditions they are currently experiencing, feed this into the system and
thus provide the traffic management
system with a broader set of data,
including for sections of road without
traffic technology infrastructure
installed.
An anonymous chat room for
the road
Open communication with the traffic infrastructure carries certain risks – similar
to using WLAN connections. For instance, data integrity could be compromised, intentionally or otherwise, when
it is being transmitted. The exchange of
data must therefore be protected against
potential security risks in order to avoid
dire consequences for transport safety.
If some disruption is causing incorrect data to be delivered, integrated
security mechanisms must recognize
such data and reliably evaluate it.
To prevent information from being
manipulated or road users from being
spied on, the on-board communication devices use dynamic digital certificates and encryption as well as hardware security features. This means the
sender remains anonymous, since
every outgoing data set uses a new
signature. It is therefore practically
impossible to trace or track a vehicle.
All the roadside units have to detect is
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Infrastructure that communicates: so-called roadside units, which
are installed on the roads, deliver to traffic control centers information about traffic density, road conditions and traffic light phases.
what kind of vehicle is sending the
data, as in special cases certificates
are assigned with a higher level of authorization. These certificates can, for
example, grant priority to emergency
vehicles or public transport at traffic
lights.
The technology is there, the partnerships are in place: The Dutch electronics firm NXP supplies radio chipsets for the networked vehicles and
the hardware security features to
protect the communication system
against bugging and manipulation.
Siemens provides the smart infrastruc-
ture and equips road signs, traffic
lights and traffic blocks with V2X
systems.
To clarify the definition: the abbreviation V2X stands for wireless communication both between vehicles
such as cars, buses and trams with
one another (Vehicle-to-Vehicle, V2V),
and between vehicles and traffic infrastructure (Vehicle-to-Infrastructure,
V2I). V2X adds these functions to existing traffic guidance and driver assistance systems. V2X-ready vehicles
also receive information from smart
traffic signs and make adjustments
horizon
Intersections and signs become intelligent and work with vehicles
to make traffic safer, more efficient and
environmentally friendly. The driver directly
receives important information about traffic,
restrictions and warnings.
according to the cycle times of
traffic lights before reaching the
interchange.
Soon these communication systems
will be ready for series production,
and in Siemens research departments
subsequent steps are already being
planned: as the next stage, for example, they are examining how to incorporate pedestrians and cyclists into
cooperative systems and how to precisely determine vehicle positions –
a crucial step toward autonomous
driving. ■
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| Mai2015
2014
Cities
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in transition
Globalization, urbanization and digitalization are the buzzwords of
our time – we must prepare ourselves and our environment for
changes. But where do urban structures, which have often grown
over hundreds of years, fit into this new age? Can the advent of
urban digitalization smooth the transition? And what must we
keep in mind to ensure that cities still offer a good quality of life in
the future? An interview with the Scientific Director and Managing
Director of the German Institute for Urban Affairs (Difu), Professor
Martin zur Nedden.
Professor zur Nedden, the world
around us is growing more complex
and more complicated at a breathtaking rate. Is it even possible to
adapt urban structures, which have
often grown over centuries, to this
rapid change?
European cities, and German cities in
particular, have always managed to
adapt successfully to new conditions
without losing their essential features and qualities. This is still possible in the present situation. One important requirement is for the city in
question to have a comprehensive,
integrated overall strategy that has
been developed by carefully weighing up the benefits and drawbacks of
different development options. Not
every technical innovation that is
feasible necessarily makes sense in
terms of sustainability. Digitalization
offers a range of opportunities, but
it is only one element among a series
of complex interactive structures in
urban development.
For cities in particular, the issue of
digitalization involves several
aspects...
Absolutely, the public sector bears
a very particular responsibility here.
Data collected to increase the efficiency of transport systems, for example, also has an effect on personal
rights and causes more light to be
shed on people’s private spheres.
The susceptibility of complex elec-
tronic systems to failure is another
factor that needs to be considered.
Operating errors, technical faults
and hacker attacks can lead to significant problems in cities. The aspect
of resilience – in this case of digital
systems – will play an even greater
role in our future efforts to ensure
our cities run smoothly.
Are such risks taken sufficiently
into account?
My impression is that technical
feasibility currently holds a great
fascination, while questions of
sustainability, resilience, as I mentioned, or indeed social consequences
are pushed somewhat into the background. Clearly, technical progress
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The susceptibility of complex electronic systems to
failure is another factor that needs to be considered.
The aspect of resilience – in this case of digital
systems – will play an even greater role in our future
efforts to ensure our cities run smoothly.”
often presents opportunities, but it
can bring problems too.
So what is the best way for urban
planners to approach the current
challenges?
At a municipal level there is a wide
range of problems to overcome simultaneously. Aside from the aforementioned developments, we need
to consider climate change and the
measures required to adapt cities to
its effects. Then we have to bring the
change in demographic structures
into the equation. The same goes for
the way our global economy is transforming, partly due to digitalization.
Given the complex interdependencies I mentioned between various
aspects of urban development, it is
essential to take interdisciplinary,
integrated approaches to overcoming challenges. This is the only way
that the conflicting goals of individual courses of action can be channeled into an appropriate solution.
This also applies to the issue of
digitalization.
Digitalization certainly does promise greater efficiency. However, this
does not always equal higher quality.
If, for example, efficiency gains in
traffic management simply lead to
there being more cars on the roads,
little progress is made in terms of
cultivating a sustainable transport
situation. If, on the other hand, they
are used to regain public space for
other municipal functions or to help
make public transport more attractive, the city will benefit.
need the support of the national and
state governments. The challenge is
too great to master alone, especially
since some of the key parameters are
set at these higher levels.
According to this approach, what
should be the guiding principle of
sustainable urban development?
In terms of content, sustainable
urban development still rests on a
balanced consideration of ecological,
economic and social interests through
integrated strategies and measures
developed on this basis – as the responsible ministers for urban development in Europe described in the
Leipzig Charter in 2007.
Do you see a specific risk that continuing urbanization pools essential
functions in these urban centers,
resulting in a drain on rural areas?
In Germany we can observe quite
different patterns when it comes to
the development of rural areas.
While some rural regions are still
growing, an increasing number are
experiencing population decline. The
national and state governments definitely have this topic on their agenda. In my view, cities and rural areas
need to be looked at together. There
are positive examples of cooperation.
For example, metropolitan regions
such as Hamburg and Nuremberg
show how cities can work with the
surrounding rural areas on issues
including the provision of public
services. Incidentally, this is another
area where digitalization can be a
significant help.
How can urban design help to
improve social conditions?
Urban design is a crucial area of activity in ensuring stable social conditions. It can either help or hinder the
situation in several ways. However, if
we want to keep social segregation
within acceptable limits and maintain the capacity to integrate immigrants as a key feature of the European city, other areas of activity are
of even greater importance. Here
I would name land policy, housing
policy, welfare policy, education
policy, and child and youth care. Yet
particularly when it comes to maintaining social stability, municipalities
As an urban planner and former
head of municipal construction,
you are well aware of the challenges
that cities and municipalities need
to solve most urgently. What comes
right at the top of the list?
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Professor Martin zur Nedden
Martin zur Nedden studied spatial planning at the
Vienna University of Technology. Since the 1990s he
has held positions including Head of the City Planning
Office of Bochum and Head of Municipal Construction
and Councilor for Urban Development and Construction of the City of Leipzig. Since November 2013 he
has been the Scientific Director and Managing Director
of the German Institute for Urban Affairs (Difu), and
since April 2014 he has also been an honorary professor for urban development and regional planning
at the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences of
Leipzig University of Applied Sciences.
We have already touched upon some
of the central challenges. For the cities it is primarily about making positive contributions toward managing
and adjusting to climate change,
coping with demographic change,
avoiding segregation, dealing with
developments in digital technologies
appropriately, securing their financial basis and involving the community. Sustainable solutions can only
be reached by taking an overall view,
which in turn forms the basis for setting targets and prioritizing measures accordingly. Given the different situations of various cities, there
are no patent remedies here. Every
municipality needs to find the right
solution for its needs, although having sufficient financial means at the
municipal level always plays a significant role.
So does it all comes down to a
question of money...?
The municipalities are making a very
legitimate demand to the national
and state governments for an appropriate level of funding to ensure they
can fulfill the tasks delegated to
them. However, that is not to say the
municipalities are sitting back and
relaxing. They are actively seeking
solutions, despite the tight financial
restrictions they face in most cases.
Leipzig, for example, has joined forces
with the housing industry and city
residents to develop a concept for
low-barrier homes that are suitable
for the elderly – one of the greatest
challenges in the context of demographic change. These do not meet
the DIN standard for barrier-free
homes, but they do reach the principal goal of enabling elderly people
to remain in their familiar home environment for as long as possible. In
this way, more people can be helped
using the same budget through a
sensible and justifiable reduction
in standards. At the municipal level
there are many such innovative approaches to tackling the aforementioned challenges. ■
German Institute for Urban Affairs (Difu)
The German Institute for Urban Affairs (Deutsche
Institut für Urbanistik – Difu), founded in 1973 and
based in Berlin, is the largest urban research institute in the German-speaking area and the official
research, training and information institute for cities, municipal associations and planning associations. The institute works on a broad range of topics
– alongside urban and regional development these
include urban construction, the environment, transport, and social and economic issues – and deals
with all the challenges that municipalities face today
and in the future, taking a scientific and practical
approach. The Association for Municipal Sciences
(Verein für Kommunalwissenschaften e.V.) is the
sole shareholder of the research institute, which is
run as a non-profit organization.
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Efficient
in the smart city of
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mobility
tomorrow
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Cities are dynamic entities – they are
constantly evolving. Today this is
more important than ever, as pressure
on urban living is noticeably mounting. Global warming and demographic
change, pollution and dwindling
resources, social upheavals and the
threat of traffic gridlock are just a few
of the many challenges cities face. In
this age of radical change, intelligent
strategies are required: urban centers
can reinvent themselves as smart
cities – and make themselves fit for
the future.
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In the Cheonggyecheon
restoration project, the
South Korean capital of
Seoul removed a highway that had been built
in the 1970s and created
a recreation area
popular among residents
and tourists alike.
T
he first cities in human history had illustrious
names: Jericho, Uruk and Troy were astonishing
places for any visitor in a sparsely populated world
of hunters, gatherers and farmers. Those seeking work,
better living conditions or education moved from the
countryside to the cities. Still today, hope of a more pleasant life continues to drive rural-urban migration.
It is a rising trend, as urban life has now changed from
the exception to the rule. Up to the middle of the 20th
century, just 30 percent of the world’s population lived in
cities; today at 54 percent it is more than half. By the year
2050 we will have seen an exact reversal in the ratio of
rural to urban residents within just one hundred years: analysts from the United Nations (UN) forecast a global urban
population of around 70 percent by that time.
The majority of the growth is expected to take place in
developing and emerging countries in Africa, the Middle
East, Latin America and Asia. In China alone, as early
as 2020 there could be over 120 more urban agglomerations with over a million residents, including several
megacities.
Where does a megacity begin?
The explosive growth of cities that humankind is currently
experiencing is a relatively new phenomenon in historical
terms. The first megacities by the current definition – cities
with over ten million residents – only came about in the
20th century as a result of industrialization. Currently UN
statisticians count 22 megacities, the majority of which are
in Asia and Latin America, with Moscow as continental Europe’s only megacity. By 2050 the number of megacities is
expected to rise to 41.
New terms have had to be invented to classify such rapidly growing settlements: a mega-metropolitan area, for
example, describes a densely populated, polycentric area
made up of several core cities and their directly adjacent
suburbs, so this includes a region like the Rhine-Ruhr,
which has almost 10 million residents, and the Greater Los
Angeles Area, with 13 to 18 million inhabitants (depending on the counting method).
A metacity or hypercity refers to a massive sprawling
agglomeration of more than 20 million people. Tokyo is
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For decades bicycles have played
an important role as a means of local
transport in Copenhagen.
Bus rapid transport (BRT) has proven its
value in Bogota as an economic means
of transport capable of high capacities.
considered the first metacity. Its agglomeration exceeded
this population count as early as the 1960s. Today the
Pearl River Delta in China leads the statistics: almost
46.5 million people live in the region around Guangzhou,
which includes highly populated cities such as Dongguan,
Foshan, Jiangmen, Shenzhen and Zhongshan.
For the newcomers, urban life promises fresh and unique
opportunities. Yet for the urban infrastructure, the massive
population influx presents an enormous burden – one that
many cities struggle to bear. The traffic volume rises because
more and more workers commute from the peripheral areas
into the city center. Insufficient parking and traffic jams cost
time, money and patience, pollute the environment and diminish people’s quality of life. So what can be done?
The concept of the car-friendly city – described by the
automaker General Motors at the 1939 New York World’s
Fair and implemented on a massive scale, for example in
the United States, or in Germany when cities were rebuilt
after the Second World War – has proven to be unsustainable for some time now: multi-lane ring roads and main
roads, elevated roads and highways running right through
the city only create further incentive for people to travel by
car. Radically new ideas are therefore needed to tackle the
increasingly difficult challenge facing transport planners:
how to provide mobility for more and more people in an
increasingly crowded urban space.
The city of the future is smart
Smart cities, which combine innovative solutions for
mobility, sustainable energy and use of space into an
overall concept and create an attractive living space in
spite of increasing population density, could play a part
in this development and help to manage growth in urban areas. The term smart city does not have an explicit
definition, but it basically describes a clever combination of functional urban infrastructure, social structures
and innovative technology. Put simply, smart cities use
the spaces and resources available as efficiently as possible in order to provide an attractive, safe and clean
place to live.
From their experiences with car-friendly cities, urban
and transport planners have come to recognize that building more roads only results in more car and motorcycle
traffic – along with all the associated costs. On the other
hand, by creating public space, a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists, and access to efficient public transport systems, it is possible to promote sustainable mobility
while also taking into consideration individual situations
and the needs of the people in cities.
The South Korean capital of Seoul is a good example:
the city developed a strategy for “green growth” that was
implemented through the Cheonggyecheon restoration
project. In 2003 the city government decided to remove
a highway that had been built in the 1970s above a stream
running through the center of the city. By restoring the
stream the city not only revived the historic legacy of
the area, it also created a central business district. Today
Cheonggyecheon is a popular local recreation area for
residents and tourists alike. Combined with investment in
public transport, the project helped to improve mobility
in downtown Seoul.
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The six-kilometer-long Gurgaon metro line
in the region around Delhi is designed to handle
around 30,000 passengers per hour.
The Danish capital of Copenhagen has extensive experience with such processes: Back in 1947 the city came up
with a development plan, called the Finger Plan, focused
on public transport. The aim was to develop transport lines
going out in different directions from a densely built-up
center, like the five fingers of a hand. Over the years that
have followed, the Copenhagen planners have implemented and continued to develop their vision. The bicycle has
become an additional focus and Copenhagen has made
targeted investments in public transport. Today, in addition to efficient inner-city transport, it has a rapid-transit
Are we in danger of urban gridlock?
By 2050 there will be around
9.5 billion
people living on Earth, with roughly
6.5 billion in urban centers.
system reaching far into the surrounding area that is being
systematically expanded and modernized (see page 32).
In other parts of the world, where urban space and
finances are tighter and the pressure to expand is greater,
special solutions such as a high-quality, high-capacity bus
rapid transit (BRT) systems are proving their value. Installing separate bus lanes is more cost-effective than building
a metro network, but it also brings added benefits: the
buses can drive right past traffic jams, they always get the
right of way at traffic lights, and they can maintain a more
frequent service.
The framework has to be right
Of course, any solution requires sufficient investment in
sustainable infrastructure. India, for instance, intends to
pump an estimated $300 billion into urban infrastructure
over the next 20 years. Yet allocating funds is not the
only issue here. The plans must also be linked to concrete
solutions using mass transit systems such as BRT and
metros that can be integrated effectively into land-use
concepts.
Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon is a positive example of this.
The six-kilometer-long Gurgaon metro line in the region
around Delhi, built and equipped entirely by Siemens, began passenger operation at the end of 2013. Its route links
the business and residential district of Gurgaon Cyber City,
roughly 30 kilometers south of central Delhi, to the capital’s metro network, and is now being extended a further
seven kilometers to the south. The Gurgaon line is designed to handle around 30,000 passengers per hour –
and this is necessary, since around two million commuters
use the metro in India’s second-largest city every day.
Similar programs to promote public transport for sustainable urban development can be found in countries like
Continued on page 24
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King’s Cross St. Pancras, 2014,
Lightjet print, Diasec, 172 x 215.4 cm
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, 2014,
Lightjet print, Diasec, 166 x 238.1 cm
The Poetry
of Railway Stations
How poetic can a railway station be? The Nuremberg-based
photographer Christian Höhn was hired by the DB Museum to travel
across five continents and take special portraits of stations.
R
ailway stations are transport hubs and travel
destinations, places of parting and reunion –
and sometimes settings for literature. Following
in the footsteps of globally renowned authors such as
Mark Twain, Ingeborg Bachmann and Leo Tolstoy, the
Nuremberg-based photographer Christian Höhn set off
on a journey to document some of these settings.
The photographer became known for his impressive, hyper-realistic, large-format panoramas of
megacities. His use of a high-definition analog camera, very long exposure times and a view from above
make movements become blurred and instill the
scenes with a certain magic, beyond the hustle and
bustle of daily life.
Now he has turned his attention to train stations:
Höhn spent ten months traveling through five continents to shed light on train stations that have provided the backdrop for episodes in world literature.
Inspired by Mark Twain’s humorous account Climbing
the Riffelberg, for instance, he traveled to the Swiss
canton of Valais and captured a fairy-tale night scene:
at a height of 3,089 meters, Gornegrat is the terminal
station of the Gornegrat Railway, a rack railway from
Zermatt to Gornegrat via Riffelberg that opened in
1898.
Getting a view from above is no problem in the
Alps. However, for the photo of Tarcoola Railway
Station in the flatlands of the Australian outback, at
the junction of the single-track east-west line of the
Trans-Australian Railway and the Central Australia
Railway, Höhn had to rent a motorhome with an
extra-high, accessible roof. From this perspective – at
a height of around five meters – he shot the impressive station photo.
Nuremberg’s DB Museum is presenting some of the
four-square-meter prints and light boxes until June 21,
2015, in its exhibition “One Station – Poesie der
Bahnhöfe.”
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focus
Tokyo Station, 2014, Duratrans, Diasec,
LED light box, 180 x 229.3 x 19 cm
Centerfold, overleaf:
Grand Central Terminal, 2014, Duratrans, Diasec,
LED light box, 180 x 222 x19 cm
Cover:
Cape Town Railway Station, 2014, Duratrans, Diasec,
LED light box, 180 x 227.6 x 19 cm
Christian Höhn, a freelance photographer since
1994, is known for his large-format, hyper-realistic
photographs of megacities.
His latest photograph series One Station is documented
in the book One Station – Poesie der Bahnhöfe,
64 pages, published by Verlag für moderne Kunst,
www.vfmk.de.
23
Grand Central Terminal on the corner of 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan, often called Grand Central Station after its predecessor, was opened in 1913 and holds the title of the world’s
largest railway station, with 44 platforms and 67 tracks spread over two levels. It is listed as a historic landmark due to its architectural significance. Today it serves exclusively commuter transport.
24
focus
como 14 | May 2015
The Avenio trams for
Doha, the capital of
Qatar, are put through
extensive climatic
testing.
The bicycle rental
system Velowspace
operates with Siemens
technology.
Continued from page 17
China, Brazil and Mexico. However, only a few agglomerations have the opportunity to redesign their transport systems from the ground up and equip them with the latest
technology. One such city is Riyadh, where six metro lines
are currently being worked on simultaneously (see page
28). Starting next year in Doha, the capital of Qatar, 19
catenary-free Avenio trams will be operating on a route of
11.5 kilometers with 25 stations. High-performance airconditioning systems and special roof insulation will protect the passengers from the strong sunlight and high outside temperatures. Siemens is equipping the vehicles with
the HES hybrid energy storage system that charges the
batteries even while pausing briefly at the tram stops and
can recuperate up to 30 percent of the energy used
through regenerative braking.
The “last mile” tips the balance
If public transport became more efficient, many of today’s
drivers could do without their cars altogether – at least in
the agglomerations themselves. Indeed, public transport
could function so well in the future that extensive car-free
urban areas could be possible. But how can public modes of
transport be made attractive even for die-hard car drivers –
aside from creating a dense, well-established public transport network?
People care about their personal convenience, which is
why diversity is the best solution to the mobility challenge:
some journeys are best made on foot, others with your
own bicycle or a rented one. The convenience of a journey
from your own front door also plays a part in car sharing
of vehicles of various sizes, as well as metros and trams.
Particular attention must therefore be paid to the “last
mile” of public transport: the part of the journey that gets
you to the nearest train, bus or bicycle rental station and
that should not be longer than a couple of hundred meters. A smart city package therefore includes well-planned
cycle paths, pedestrianized zones and transport stops, but
also sensible funding components and official permits –
for things like bike sharing or rickshaw taxi services.
In city centers autonomous
cars might even be used as
short-distance taxis for the
last mile – the concept is
already technically feasible
today.
In the Netherlands, for example, the bike rental agency
OV-Fiets has already installed its innovative rental system Velowspace at 95 locations. Up to 24 bicycles can
be rented out and brought back around the clock at
the weather- and vandalism-protected rental machines,
which are controlled using Siemens technology. Inside
the round Velowspace container a carousel turns a bicycle
26
focus
como 14 | May 2015
The new electro hybrid
buses in Hamburg’s city
center power up at quick
charging stations from
Siemens.
In March of this year, a bus line
with electric buses went into
service in the Swedish capital of
Stockholm.
or a free space toward the automatically controlled door,
depending on whether a bicycle is being rented or
brought back. When Velowspace is installed at mobility
hubs such as train station forecourts, it becomes simpler
and more convenient for travelers to change from one
form of transport to a bicycle, whether spontaneously or
as part of their planned journey.
Such measures do not only add value for people who
do not own their own car: Good connections and short
distances are of particular benefit to people with reduced
mobility – and senior citizens. In many countries people
are living considerably longer than they used to, and the
over-70s age group is growing all the time. Since elderly
people in urban areas travel primarily on foot and with
public transport, barrier-free travel has become a standard
requirement. Many analysts agree that current social
developments will almost inevitably lead to more environmentally friendly mobility in metropolitan areas – not from
one day to the next, but in the long term.
Mobility’s sustainability factor
Quality of life in cities also depends on protecting the environment. In many countries electrification of vehicle drive
systems is already underway, not just on rail networks but
also on the roads. Electric buses, such as those currently
running on the new Innovation Line in central Hamburg,
are a significant building block for sustainable urban mobility. These electric hybrid buses with Volvo plug-in technology run in electric mode for 70 percent of the route
on average, make very little noise and cause no local emis-
When unexpected disruptions
occur, the Controlguide OCS can
minimize operational disruptions
through the use of intelligent
planning functions.
sions. They receive power from a Siemens charging system; the charging process at the end stations takes no
more than six minutes.
The Swedish cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm are
also going electric. A one-year test phase in Gothenburg
has shown that hybrid electric buses reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75 percent
compared to Euro 6 diesel buses; total energy consumption can be cut by around 60 percent. And in Stockholm,
since March of this year Volvo buses and Siemens’ charging technology have been in operation on Line 73 between
Popsten and Karolinska Institutet.
The example of China reveals how important the everyday suitability of electric vehicles is for a mass market.
The country already has over 120 million electric scooters
running on its roads – quietly, efficiently and without
emissions. Clearly private electro mobility cannot answer
all urban transport issues. The daily congestion may turn
into a “clean” traffic jam, but the actual problem remains.
In inner cities private cars must therefore receive a secondary status. However, the intelligently networked digital
car can belong to the mobility mix of the future. Driving
assistance and Car2X systems (see page 4), as precursors
to autonomous vehicles, already increase safety significantly today while also helping road traffic to flow.
The smart city is digital
Aside from smart traffic control systems, which can automatically intervene in how traffic is managed depending
on environmental or traffic conditions, urban life can
como 14 | May 2015
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27
Mobility as an economic
factor: in 2010,
€6,400 billion
were spent on transporting
people and goods worldwide –
that is almost €1,000 for
each person on Earth.
be improved on a personal level through information and
communication technology (ICT). E-government programs
form a direct link between citizens and authorities. Using
various smartphone applications, citizens can keep an eye
on environmental data, improve their energy efficiency or
find a nearby parking space (page 34). ICT ensures access
to information about the best routes, the best mode of
transport, traffic jams, the next bus, cycle paths and footpaths though the city and much more besides. Modern
smart card systems for paying fares go beyond the public
transport network and can be used for a broad range of
services – from local and regional public transport to car
sharing and parking fees. In some Chinese cities this has
been possible for years; in Europe numerous new projects
are underway.
Digital technology and the Internet, data transfer via
radio and smartphone apps have ensured that the mobile society is already in the midst of transition. Even
the over-70s of the future will be more comfortable with
the convenience of smartphone technology at their
fingertips than the generation who came before them.
There is no doubt that digitalization and automation
increase the availability of urban mobility, raise the
capacity of modes of transport, and bring about a new
passenger experience. ■
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Sleepless in Riyadh
Six subway lines with a total length of 176 kilometers – Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh
is planning the world’s largest metro project to serve its 5.7 million residents. Siemens
is supplying the entire turnkey system for the driverless subway lines 1 and 2, which
together cover 63 kilometers. The project includes the metro trains, electrification, signal
and communication technology for driverless operation, and integrating the rail technology systems in a consortium with the U.S. firm Bechtel, Almabani and CCC (BACS
Consortium). The Siemens project team has members from all over the world – como
captures their impressions and reveals some of the background to this exciting project.
Sebastien Gilson, Project
Manager, Belgium
Gregoire Renie, Deputy
Project Director, France
Riyadh Metro is your first
project at Siemens, and
you are coordinating all
seven Siemens project
teams. What challenges
are you facing?
One of the largest challenges is to create one team
out of the various Siemens
entities involved. This includes getting all people
all over the world to share
the same ways of working
and the same objectives.
For this, we have to set up
communication tools in
order to share the same
understanding of the project situation with all internal stakeholders.
You have been involved in
the Riyadh project from
the beginning. What were
the crucial measures and
steps for making the right
start?
The most important phase
was the start-up phase where
we define the execution plan
and strategy, including the
baseline time schedule. A
crucial aspect was the dedication of the project team when
the workload was high and
the resources still limited due
to the ongoing mobilization.
These people have been another key to pass the ramp-up
phase. We’ve now reached
our cruising speed, though
we have to remind ourselves
that usually the most difficult
time is the construction phase.
Dave Bush, Project Director,
England
Graham Donald, Contract
Manager, Scotland
Your task is to ensure
compliance with the contract and to coordinate
changes. Is that something that requires steady
nerves?
Given the sheer size of the
Riyadh Metro Project, the
number and location of
contributors – lots, subcontractors and suppliers –
and environmental conditions bring a number of
challenges on many levels.
These challenges come
from a multitude of interfaces, each and every one
with their own idiosyncrasies that have to be dealt with
in a clear and stable way.
You have successfully
completed many rail
projects worldwide. What
is different about this
large-scale project in
Riyadh, and what is the
same?
Significant challenges stem
from the fact that, in total,
six metro lines are being
constructed simultaneously, which puts enormous
strain on the Riyadh city infrastructure. Furthermore,
the challenges and rewards
of working with a multi-national, multi-cultural team
are similar the world over.
Sensitivity to cultural differences and beliefs are key
to fostering a harmonious
environment.
como 14 | May 2015
What is special about
RMP compared to your
former signalling
projects?
The number of stakeholders
involved in this mega turnkey project is exceptional –
teams from France, Germany and Riyadh are working
on the job. The most exciting part will be when the
main subsystems come together for the first time. In
Wildenrath we will install
our CBTC system to have it
tested together with the
Inspiro trains coming from
Vienna and the platform
screen doors supplied from
Singapore.
You have been living and
working in Saudi Arabia
for a while, and now your
family has joined you.
How would you compare
your new home with
Portugal?
Professionally, the challenges are similar to any other
project with the diversity of
stakeholders that this one
has. On the other hand
there are some small details, for example the issue
of weekends being on Fridays and Saturdays. It is still
common for me to call the
offices in Europe on Sunday
to take care of business issues. Apart from these small
culture differences I feel completely at home in Riyadh.
29
Wissam Rammal,
Scheduler, Lebanon
Ricardo Soares,
Project Manager Rail
Electrification, Portugal
Juan Jover, Lot manager
Signalling, Spain
Rubrik
Benjamin Polan, Project
Management Assistant,
Germany
You have been in Riyadh
for a few months now.
How would you personally describe the current
transport structures and
habits?
The current traffic situation is dominated by traffic
jams. As there is no public
transportation available,
people rely on their own
cars. Streets here are very
well maintained and new;
however, it is just too
much to cope with. Our
metro system will bring a
huge relief to the city and
people of Riyadh.
You coordinate schedules
and deadlines among the
multinational consortium. What is important
for you when working
with such a variety of
people?
As a member of a multicultural team, I am faced with
the challenge of how to
minimize coordination losses due to communication
problems, varying work
styles, language differences
and sometime misunderstandings. It is important to
take into consideration the
country of origin. But, I
have to note that a multicultural team is bringing a
wide range of experience
due to the multiple perspectives to solve problems.
30
Rubrik
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Electric trains are generally among the most efficient
means of travel, but unfortunately the transport infrastructure often comes up against its capacity limits.
Proven technologies and IT-supported solutions from
Siemens can help to make better use of the available
capacities – even once systems are already in use.
Digital
metro
31
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Automatic train operation with Trainguard MT
Point machine
Balise antenna
Axle counter
Eurobalise
Intermittent train control with
fixed-block operation
E
very day commuters all over the world are coming to
the realization that public transport systems in and
around major cities are increasingly being stretched
to their limits. Whether due to environmental concerns or
simply to avoid time-consuming traffic jams on the roads –
the number of rail commuters is growing steadily. As a result, subway and metro systems, although they are among
the most efficient of all modes of transport, often struggle
to absorb the constantly rising flow of passengers. Yet expanding the infrastructure not only costs a lot of time and
money, in many cases it is not even possible.
The solution lies in the digitalization and automation of
rail operations. For example, intelligent train control systems enable existing lines to carry more passengers while
also increasing safety and reliability, and reducing the operator’s energy and maintenance costs.
It comes down to the thoroughly proven principle of automatic block signaling: If several trains are traveling one
behind the other on the same line, they must constantly
keep a safe minimum distance apart. With the conventional “fixed block” method, the line is divided into fixed blocks
that are guarded by stationary trackside signals. When a
train drives into a block, the entire length of the block is
barred to all other trains by the rearward signal. Only when
the front train is known to have left this block is a following train permitted to enter it. The drawback is that these
fixed blocks largely determine the times between the
trains, known as headways.
CBTC solves many problems
“Modern interactive signaling systems such as Trainguard
MT from Siemens work with the moving block method and
control the trains via radio using Communications-based
Train Control (CBTC),” says Andreas Schwarte, Senior Key
Expert Metro Design & Architecture at Siemens Mobility
Management in Braunschweig. The moving block method
Balise antenna
Point machine
Axle counter
Eurobalise
Continuous train control with the
moving-block principle
does without fixed sections of track and stationary signals.
The required distance between two trains is calculated by
taking the braking distance at the current speed and adding a safety margin. This margin is constantly recalculated
during the journey and directly transmitted to the train
control, which automatically keeps the following train at
bay. The trains stay in motion, and because the block
moves along with the trains, the headways can be kept to
a minimum and services can run more frequently. “Not
only does this method allow headways as short as 75 seconds, it also means the service frequency can be flexibly
adjusted to suit the current passenger volume,” says
Schwarte.
If the vehicles are also fitted with Automatic Train Operation (ATO), the driver gives the signal to depart, and can
intervene in case of danger, but the automation takes care
of the journey between the stations and determines exactly where to stop at the platform. The system is particularly
energy efficient: Using the stored route profile, it constantly calculates how it should accelerate the train, and how
it can maintain the shortest succession of trains to the following train while consuming as little energy as possible –
while still arriving at the next station on time. Whereas
human drivers occasionally press the brake too hard and
then accelerate more, an ATO system can reduce the energy required by up to 30 percent while maintaining the
same journey time.
Modernizing while the wheels keep rolling
Because CBTC systems directly relay all essential information to the train via radio, conventional trackside signals
are no longer required. Naturally, equipment that is not
there requires zero maintenance, so overall the train control maintenance costs are lower. For new metro projects
such as the driverless subway in the Saudi Arabian capital
of Riyadh (see page 28), CBTC-based signal and communi-
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With the Trainguard MT train
control system, different
degrees of automation are
possible for metros, such as
the driverless systems in
Algiers and New York, or
unattended operation
in Hong Kong.
cation technology is therefore the first choice. But how can
an existing metro system be brought up to date? After all,
no operator can afford to put their metro lines out of service for a couple of months.
“Generally we modernize ‘while the wheels keep rolling,’
by which we mean the services are still running,” says
Schwarte. During the day the trains run as normal; at night
when there is no service the necessary work is carried out
on the line. “Nevertheless, migration strategies are very
complex and always adapted to the specific situation.
There is no predefined process.” Ideally the new CBTC system can be operated in parallel with the original train control system. If both systems are functional, the vehicles can
also be equipped with the new technology piece by piece –
so up to day zero of the migration there is a mixed service
of trains in operation.
In most cases the operation control centers are also
modernized accordingly. For instance, a few years ago part
of the subway system operated by New York City Transit
(NYCT) received a completely new integrated control center with an automatic train supervision (ATS) system. It
controls 172 stations, 45 interlockings, 46 central engineering rooms, 1,758 operated units and 4,811 display
units for up to 200 train movements at a time on 175 kilometers of track. Roughly one third of all subway stations
are controlled remotely from the operation control center
in Manhattan. This migration to Trainguard MT was also
carried out while the wheels kept rolling.
“In Istanbul we took a different route,” says Schwarte. The
task in the Turkish capital, which has 15 million residents,
was to very rapidly extend the existing M1 line, a crucial link
for traveling into the city, and also take this opportunity to
modernize the line. “For time reasons the line extension
was initially equipped with a more simple system. Then all
vehicles and finally the entire line were upgraded to CBTC.”
Self-contained metro systems are not the only candidates for such modernization projects, as shown by the
example of Copenhagen’s rapid-transit system, operated
by Banedanmark, which runs on a network of numerous
lines with shared routes extending far into the surrounding
region. Schwarte says: “Here the existing vehicles first have
the new system installed in addition to the current one.
Then the route is modernized one section at a time and
these sections each switch to the new system once they
are finished. The notable aspect in this case is that, once
the migration is complete, all trackside signals are uninstalled, as they are no longer needed.”
Change all – or upgrade instead?
Generally it is no problem to equip existing metro trains
with a modern CBTC system. “If it makes sense to modernize
the control technology, in most cases new powered bogies
are required for better acceleration, plus regenerative braking systems to recoup some of the energy lost when braking
– which in turn often requires a modernized power supply.
So often the package of measures starts to add up.” For this
reason, many operators choose to invest in new vehicles
when planning such a major overhaul. Instead of the separate, closed cars that used to be standard, today there is
a demand for continuous cars with broad doors – these
enable a quick passenger interchange at the stations, which
is essential for achieving shorter headways. “For some time
now the trend has also been heading toward driverless systems, which allow the trains to be operated in a much more
flexible manner,” Schwarte explains. “For example, if there’s
a major event or a sudden increase in passenger volume,
additional vehicles can quickly be inserted into the service
and then taken out again without having to change the drivers’ schedules.”
The fact that a mix of manually driven and driverless
trains is also feasible where necessary was demonstrated
several years ago by the Rubin project in Nuremberg. The
year of parallel operation in 2010, with the conventionally
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33
Innovating for rail
Siemens technology never comes to a
standstill: last year the company registered
around 4,300 patents worldwide, and many
of these were innovations in mobility.
Twelve Siemens researchers and developers
received the honor of “Inventor of the Year
2014.” The following invention is a typical
example of the ongoing digitalization of rail
transport.
driven U2 trains and the automatic U3 trains on the
main line, was a particular feature of Germany’s first
driverless subway system. The project is still regarded
as proof that upgrading from conventional to automatic
operation is possible without interrupting service – an
attractive option for cities that want to automate their
existing subway systems step by step.
The advantages of Trainguard MT did not escape the
metro operator ViaQuatro from the Brazilian city of São
Paulo, which has a population of 11 million. ViaQuatro
installed Latin America’s first-ever driverless subway
system on São Paulo’s Line 4 and equipped it with CBTCbased control and communication technology from
Siemens. The line extends the metro network of the
continent’s largest metropolitan area by 11 stations and
a length of 12.8 kilometers, and connects with the existing lines 1, 2 and 3.
Fully automatic operation remains a growing trend
worldwide. More and more public transport providers
are choosing this option for their modernizations and
new construction projects, and they are thereby making
an investment in the future – for more efficiency, higher flexibility and greater appeal. ■
Web Based Diagnostics:
finding errors more quickly
Digitalization has been an everyday part of rail transport for
some time now: there are around 200 networked control
units in Siemens rail vehicles. Ralf Beyer, Automation Technician and Systems Architect at Siemens Mobility in Erlangen,
has developed a web-based service for rail vehicles that allows
wireless access to control units using a tablet or smartphone.
In this line of work the primary goal is to diagnose any
technical problems and predict failures before they occur. Yet
the technology of modern rail vehicles is no longer centrally
located in bulky control cabinets; it is distributed throughout
the train, integrated into the walls so that every spare centimeter inside the vehicle can be used to make the interior
more comfortable.
In the case of Ralf Beyer’s service, Web Based Diagnostics,
the software is directly integrated into the components
where it is always kept up to date. The technician simply logs
into the vehicle’s network using a browser on a tablet or
smartphone – providing they have the correct login details –
and from there they can search for and rectify errors. Ralf
Beyer’s invention is being installed for the first time in the
fleets of the Thameslink (UK), ICx (Germany) and Desiro ÖBB
(Austria).
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It’s a situation almost every driver knows:
parking spaces in major cities are becoming
hard to find – whether on main roads, side
streets or easily accessible parking structures.
Aided by a new radar system from Siemens,
Smarter
como 14 | May 2015
move
road users will soon be able to receive information on free parking spaces in real time via an
app or navigation device – another step toward
smart urban structures.
pa r k i n g
35
36
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S
earching for a place to park is a nuisance. Finally
you arrive at your destination only to realize there
are no spaces to be found. Then the tiresome ritual
begins: driving endlessly around the block, hoping you
will be able to leave the car somewhere close to where
you are going – as you start to run low on time, fuel and
patience.
The statistics tell a clear story. According to a recent
international study on parking management, looking for a
parking space takes an average of almost ten minutes in
Germany, and as much as 15 minutes in Italy. Each search
involves an average drive of around 4.5 kilometers, which
causes 1.3 kilos of CO₂ to be released into the atmosphere unnecessarily. Surveys have also shown that, at
any given time, around 30 percent of all drivers in congested inner cities are searching for somewhere to park.
In particularly afflicted urban districts the distance traveled during these searches each year adds up to 14 trips
all the way around the earth.
Siemens has now developed a parking management
solution that allows cities to tackle the increasing shortage of parking spaces. With this solution, which will be
tested for the first time starting this summer in a pilot
project in Berlin, road users are effortlessly informed of
free parking spaces on the roadside between their initial
location and their destination. Various sensor types and
technologies are integrated into a smart parking management system that can be optimally adjusted to the individual requirements of any urban area, enabling municipalities to make intelligent use of the parking options at
their disposal.
Finding parking spaces with radar eyes
At the core of the Smart Parking Solution is newly developed overhead radar sensor technology that constantly
monitors parking facilities from a height of several meters
The radar sensors that are part of the Smart Parking Solution
monitor the parking situation from a height of several meters
and relay occupancy information to a control center.
and relays occupancy information to a control center.
These sensors can easily be installed on or in streetlights,
so there is no need to interfere with the infrastructure as
a power supply is already available. Yet the resulting information is more precise and informative than with floor
sensors, for example, which can only report that a space is
“free” or “occupied.” The radar sensors not only indicate
whether there is an object on the parking space, they also
provide information on the position and size of the vehicle.
The overhead system even recognizes blocked cycle and
bus lanes or improperly used spaces at e-car charging stations, so illegally parked vehicles can be quickly detected.
Since they operate high above the level of the traffic,
the sensors can be integrated into street lamp casings
and remain practically invisible, making any deliberate
damage highly unlikely. The sensor readings are sent over
the mobile network to the control center where the data
is analyzed, current parking space occupancy is calculated, and the information is prepared for services such as
a parking space app. Route planner apps and infrastructure-based or in-car navigation systems can also use this
information to reduce drivers’ search times and ease the
traffic situation.
What makes the Smart Parking Solution special is that
the software learns as it operates. It recognizes when a
parking situation is repeated at certain times, combines
statistical and real-time data, and makes forecasts that can
help drivers to get an idea of how easy or difficult parking
will be when they arrive at their destination. The solution
also assists users in selecting a suitable mode of transport:
with information on the time required to get a parking
space and the walking distance to the destination, drivers
may opt in advance to use a park & ride system on the
edge of the city or even leave the car at home and take
public transport. So urban infrastructure can certainly be
used more effectively and deliberately protected against
overload.
Route planner apps and navigation systems can use this
information to help drivers find parking and thereby reduce
search times.
como 14 | May 2015
A first step toward smart cities
As a modular, infrastructure-based sensor system, the
smart parking solution uses the Internet of Things platform
from the U.S. firm Intel for communication between the
sensors and the control center – thus forming the basis for
a sensor and communication network that is suitable for
future smart city concepts. If an RFID solution is added to
the network, it will enable functions such as automatic
move
37
checking of user-specific authorization, for example with
resident parking spaces, or up-to-the-minute calculation
and billing of parking fees.
The Siemens Smart Parking Solution even goes a step
further: a whole series of additional applications is feasible, including traffic management support, adaptive light
management, emissions data analysis and retail-sponsored
city services. The result is a “smart” and innovative city
with intelligent control systems. ■
Smart parking at a glance
Innovative technology
Benefits
• Overhead sensors, installed as stand-alone units or
integrated into street lamp casings for protection
• In addition to actual parking spaces, the sensors
cover no-parking areas such as emergency vehicle
exits, tram lines, etc.
• Authentication of authorized and unauthorized
users via RFID technology (resident and disabled
parking)
•Possibility of automatic payment
• Communication network transmits data to the
control center
• Possibility of additional services such as adaptive
light management based on the actual traffic
volume
•Less searching, improved traffic flow, reduced
congestion
•Statistical and real-time information on parking
vacancies
•Intelligent usage of infrastructure
•Simplified parking data collection at a reduced cost
•Possibility of convenient cashless parking via
automated, up-to-the-minute billing
•Safer traffic with efficient enforcement of illegal
parking activities
•Usage of smart parking infrastructure and data for
additional traffic management applications
•Transparent forecasts on available parking and time
required may encourage drivers to switch to public
transport
Positioned high above the street, the sensors
are protected from harm; they can be affixed to light
posts, for example.
Smart parking in the test phase: the sensors
can be hidden in street lamp casings.
38
connect
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The use of thermal/infrared
cameras allows quadcopters to
work and fly at night
Quadcopters communicate
wirelessly to provide
accurate data
Quadcopter locates the best available space
using image processing algorithms and
finds the shortest path to that spot
Quadcopter monitors for
suspicious activity and
occupant heatstroke
Technology guides cars to
the optimal spot based on
time and location
Quadcopter scans for a disabled
parking permit and guides the car
to an open spot
1
st
place
Smart Parking Lot Using a Quadcopter Network
Ideas
for the future
The world of mobility is growing increasingly complex, and traffic problems are
becoming more urgent. It is time for some fresh ideas. Contests and partnerships
often serve as a way to tap into creative minds.
S
mart technologies to protect valuable resources,
sustainability, climate protection, smart transport
management strategies for tomorrow’s sustainable
mobility – these have been core issues at Siemens for over
160 years. If present and future transport problems are to
be effectively solved, however, the need for revolutionary
ideas is greater than ever.
Ideas to solve tomorrow’s transport
challenges
Last year the “Siemens Mobility IDEA Contest – Improving
Design and Engineering for All” was started. It was the
first contest of its kind where creative thinkers worldwide could present innovations to improve the world of
mobility.
Participants from 43 countries initially showcased their
ideas on a website. Selected proposals were then re-
viewed, substantiated and optimized with Siemens experts
in a coaching phase. Next, during a collaboration phase,
visitors to the website could leave comments and ratings
and discuss benefits, drawbacks and potential improvements with the innovators. Only the top-rated proposals
made it through the subsequent pairwise comparison
phase, where website visitors had the opportunity to compare and rate pairs of ideas against each other. Fewer than
15 ideas were rated highly enough to enter the preparation phase, and these were finally presented to the jury
panel, made up of Siemens managers, industry experts
and potential users.
The jury ultimately selected three innovative ideas,
offering solutions for tomorrow’s mobility challenges that
can already be implemented using current technology.
The concept of using smart drone technology to find
parking spaces impressed the jury the most in this pioneering contest.
como 14 | May 2015
2
connect
39
nd
place
Safe
Pedestrian
Crossing
In case pedestrians are not wearing
connected devices, roadside sensors
detect movement and alert vehicles
Wearable devices like smartwatches or fitness bands communicate with connected vehicles to
alert the drivers to pedestrians
3
rd
place
Mobile apps help communicate
with the surrounding environment
and warn drivers
Self-Parking Autonomous Vehicles
Proximity/occupancy sensors
monitor spaces and guide vehicles
to the best available parking spot
Autonomous vehicles save
time by dropping the driver off
before parking, then returning
to a pickup location at a
predetermined time
Future Tram – new ideas for the
streetcar
In Germany, Siemens also regularly participates
in projects with partners such as universities.
For example, Siemens Mobility and the Institute for Rail Vehicles at RWTH Aachen University are project partners in the Future Tram idea
contest, which started in mid-April.
Employees and students at RWTH Aachen can
submit their ideas in the categories of “Trams
and People,” “Trams and the City” and “Trams and
Technology.” Those who come up with the five
best ideas receive cash prizes and have the opportunity to further develop their concepts at a
three-day workshop with Siemens experts. One
thing is for sure: the results are of benefit to all
transport users. ■
Siemens Mobility IDEA Contest: the winners
1st place:
Smart parking with quadcopter support
Amir Ehsani Zonouz suggests using a swarm of autonomous
quadcopters (mini helicopters with four rotors) to find free spaces
in large parking lots and detect cars as they arrive and guide them
efficiently to the nearest free space.
The benefit: The process would significantly cut the time and
energy spent searching for spaces, particularly in large parking
lots. Since it would not require any major roadside infrastructure,
it is a cost-effective solution.
2nd place:
Pedestrian safety system
Sakib Khan wants to create a future car2infrastructure environment where pedestrians carry wearables (electronic wrist bands
or smart watches) that communicate with appropriately equipped
vehicles. People or pets without wearables would be detected by
stationary roadside sensors.
The benefit: The required urban infrastructure will be available in
the foreseeable future. It would then be simple
to implement this application and significantly
improve pedestrian safety.
3rd place:
Self-parking autonomous vehicles
Sasan Amini wants to create a car2infrastructure
environment where free parking spaces on the
street and in parking lots are communicated to autonomous vehicles. The cars would drop off their
driver, guide themselves to the most suitable parking space, and pick up the driver later at a defined
meeting point.
The benefit: The process would considerably
reduce traffic caused by people searching for parking spaces in cities. The technology is available:
several automakers already offer automatic parking. Although autonomous vehicles are currently
only street legal in a few countries, the process
could initially be implemented solely within parking lots.
40
Rubrik
como 14 | May 2015
To view all como issues published to date
or to sign up for a free subscription, go to
www.siemens.com/mobility/como.
como
Facts, Trends and Stories on Integrated Mobility
Publisher:
Siemens AG · Mobility Division, Munich
Editor:
Stephan Allgöwer
Siemens AG · Mobility Division · Communications
Editing:
Eberhard Buhl, www.presse-team.de
English translation:
Paul Sabin, Alexander Chavez
Photographs: Christian Höhn from the series
“One Station” pp. 1, 18–23 · iStockphoto pp. 4, 14,
16 left, 34/35 · Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik
pp. 8, 11 · Corbis pp. 15, 16 center, 30
All other photos: Siemens AG
Concept & layout:
Agentur Feedback, Munich
www.agentur-feedback.de
Printing:
Gutenberg Beuys, Langenhage
Printed in Germany
Copyright:
© Siemens AG 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or used without express prior
permission. Subject to technical modifications.
The information in this document contains
general descriptions of the technical possibilities.
These may not apply in every case.
www.siemens.com/mobility
[email protected]
ISSN 2190-0329
FB como e 14|2015 161011 ZS05154.5
Dispo No.: 21701
Order No.: MOCG-M10003-00-7600
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