2. IoT in transportation incorporates a wide network of embedded
sensors, actuators, smart objects and other intelligent devices.
This network collects data about the real-world scenario and
transmits it over the specialized software to transform that data into
useful information.
The operations of the transport sector have been revolutionized
with the help of IoT enabled technologies and smart solutions.
Furthermore, the transportation system in the urban areas is
becoming more complex day by day as the vehicle population on the
road is increasing. This highlights the need of the municipalities to
integrate IoT in transportation to have access to greater and secure
transportation benefits.
3. 1. Efficient Traffic Management
Traffic management is the biggest segment within the
transportation industry where the adoption of IoT technologies is
observed to be the most prominent. Million and Billions of
Gigabytes of traffic and vehicle-related data are being generated
through CCTV cameras. This data is transferred to traffic
management centers for keeping a closer look at the vehicles and
punishing the car owners who are violating the traffic rules and
regulations. Smart parking, automatic traffic light system and smart
accident assistance are the few applications of IoT that help the
traffic and patrolling officers in managing the traffic efficiently and
reducing the risk of accidents.
4.
5. 2. Automated Toll and Ticketing
Compared to traditional tolling and ticketing systems, IoT in
transportation offers automated tolls. With the help of RFID tags
and other smart sensors, managing toll and ticketing have become
much easier for traffic police officers.
Any vehicle which might be a kilometer away from the tolling
station can easily be detected with the help of IoT technologies.
This enables the lifting of the traffic barriers for the vehicles to
pass through. However, the older vehicles do not have IoT
connectivity, but the smartphones of the car owners can serve the
same purpose as well, that is, taking automatic payments through
phones linked to the digital wallet. This indicates that IoT in
transportation is much more flexible and is compatible with new
vehicles and demonstrate easy integration with older vehicles as
well, for automated toll and ticketing procedures.
6. 3. Self-driving Cars
Self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles are the coolest things
that have been introduced in the transportation industry.
Self-driving cars are capable of moving safely by sensing the
environment, with little or no human interaction. However, to gather
data about the surrounding, self-driving cars use a wide range of
sensors. For instance, the self-driving car uses acoustic sensors,
ultrasonic sensors, radar, LiDAR (Light detection and ranging), camera
and GPS sensors to have information about the surroundings and
take the data-driven decision about mobility accordingly. This
indicates that the functioning of self-driving cars is dependent on IoT
sensors. With the help of IoT, sensors equipped in the self-driving
cars continuously gather the data about the surrounding in real-time
and transfer this data either to a central unit or cloud.
7. According to the Intelligent Transportation Society of America,
ITS technology makes it possible to:
• Use a navigation system to find the best route based on real-
time conditions.
• Alert drivers of potentially hazardous situations in time to
avoid crashes.
• Be guided to an empty parking space by a smart sign.
• Ride a bus that turns traffic lights green on approach.
• Detect and respond promptly to traffic incidents.
• Reroute traffic in response to road conditions or weather
emergencies.
• Allow drivers to manage their fuel consumption.
• Adjust speed limits and signal timing based on real-world
conditions.
• Improve freight tracking, inspection, safety and efficiency.
• Make public transportation more convenient and reliable.
8. Smart City Ahmedabad gets IoT-driven buses
As one of India's fastest growing scientific and industrial hubs, the
city of Ahmedabad was among the first 20 candidates selected for
the government's Smart City Mission. Recognizing the vital
importance of efficient public transport, Smart City Ahmedabad
Development Limited (SCADL) partnered with NEC to upgrade the
city's manually operated, often erratic bus transit infrastructure with
a seamless, safe and reliable intelligent transport management
system. Intelligently applied IoT and big data analysis technologies
are enabling the city to build a smart bus system that is easy to plan,
merge and grow along with its expanding footfall.
9. Improving public transport is integral to smart city success. It is costly, but
transferring passengers at attractive prices enables education, employment, and
ultimately safe movement," advocates SCADL CEO, Rakesh Shankar.
Ahmedabad's two major bus services Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and city bus AMTS
operate 1,000 buses transporting 0.8 million passengers daily across the city.
Despite attractive ticket prices, the bus services were underutilized due to
customer concerns over quality. The previous manually operated system
suffered from poor route planning, a lack of advertised bus schedules, bus-
bunching, excessive waiting time, rough driving, stop skipping, and inconvenient
or inconsistent cash collection. A lack of transparency also resulted in higher
operating costs and customer complaint handling.
The city authorities were keen to upgrade to a cashless, software-based bus
service system backed by advanced ICT to help reduce expenses and problem-
response time.
"Smart transportation must offer ease of use for the traveler, transparency of
services, and the ability to plan. We needed to understand entire routes and
behavior, so we could deploy the right resources, add new vehicles and develop
seamless transport services."
10. Automated Fare Collection Service(AFCS): Quick and secure cashless
payment via prepaid RuPay card or smartphone ensures greater convenience,
passenger safety and ridership visibility.
Automated Vehicle Location Service(AVLS): Real-time visualization of
vehicle location via fitted GPS enables the city to calculate estimated time of
arrival and support bus operations from a central command center to adhere to a
planned schedule.
Passenger Information System: Provide real-time bus information via
mobile app, website and in-station boards to enable passengers to plan their
route and estimate waiting and arrival times. Route and bus stop information is
also provided via on-board displays and announcements.
Vehicle Planning Schedule and Dispatch System (VPSD): Bus routes
and schedules optimized by analysis of bus travel performance and traffic
volume.
Depot Management System (DMS): Allocate and optimize crew and
overall bus operations by automating the management of vehicles, fuel,
inventory, personnel, and vehicle maintenance.
