A silent humming can be heard these days, when you walk
around Charité. And you should watch carefully, when you hear it:
Currently, BVG and Charité are testing autonomous busses on our campus!
But even if you cross the street absorbed in thought, you won’t be
knocked over: The busses have an integrated system that makes them stop
as soon as they detect any object crossing their way.
Currently, four driverless shuttles operate at a maximum speed of 20 km/h on defined routes with fixed stops in the two clinic premises Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow. The pilot phase is part of the “Stimulate" project by the Institute for Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, which aims to answer what options autonomous minibuses offer for future public transport and how driverless vehicles are accepted by users. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Charité provides the infrastructure, and BVG is responsible vehicle operation.
According to Charité and BVG, the two Charité locations in Mitte and Wedding are particularly well-suited, as they represent a sufficiently large test area, separated from public roads. In addition, there are sidewalks, intersections and road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, cars, trucks, buses and ambulances. Thus they are like "a small image of our city," said Charité CEO Einhäupl. "First, the shuttles have to learn the routes," said BVG board member Henrik Haenecke. The shuttles orient themselves with the help of laser and radar that detect the environment. Only remote monitoring is provided and passengers will not be able to intervene in the steering system. Only braking maneuvers will be allowed.
"We hope that the project will enable us to expand the existing transport offer for our patients, visitors, employees and students in the future," said Einhäupl. According to a Charité press release from last year, passengers are allowed to board from the second quarter of 2018. At first there will be staff on board who can intervene in case of problems. From 2019, the minibuses should operate without accompaniment.
Claudia Willmes
PhD Alumna, AG Eickholt / AG Schmitz
source: Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung von BVG, Charité und Land Berlin
(Available only in German)
Currently, four driverless shuttles operate at a maximum speed of 20 km/h on defined routes with fixed stops in the two clinic premises Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow. The pilot phase is part of the “Stimulate" project by the Institute for Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, which aims to answer what options autonomous minibuses offer for future public transport and how driverless vehicles are accepted by users. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Charité provides the infrastructure, and BVG is responsible vehicle operation.
 |
| Ligier EZ-10 autonomous electric minishuttle, via Wikimedia Commons |
According to Charité and BVG, the two Charité locations in Mitte and Wedding are particularly well-suited, as they represent a sufficiently large test area, separated from public roads. In addition, there are sidewalks, intersections and road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, cars, trucks, buses and ambulances. Thus they are like "a small image of our city," said Charité CEO Einhäupl. "First, the shuttles have to learn the routes," said BVG board member Henrik Haenecke. The shuttles orient themselves with the help of laser and radar that detect the environment. Only remote monitoring is provided and passengers will not be able to intervene in the steering system. Only braking maneuvers will be allowed.
"We hope that the project will enable us to expand the existing transport offer for our patients, visitors, employees and students in the future," said Einhäupl. According to a Charité press release from last year, passengers are allowed to board from the second quarter of 2018. At first there will be staff on board who can intervene in case of problems. From 2019, the minibuses should operate without accompaniment.
Claudia Willmes
PhD Alumna, AG Eickholt / AG Schmitz
source: Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung von BVG, Charité und Land Berlin
(Available only in German)
No comments:
Post a Comment