The ParkShuttle connection between the Kralingse Zoom metro station in Rotterdam and the Rivium business park in Capelle aan den IJssel will be extended. On part of the new route, driverless autonomous vehicles will carry passengers on public roads. In addition, six new ParkShuttles will be delivered for the line by manufacturer 2getthere.
Utrecht-based company 2getthere has extensive experience in the field of electronically guided autonomous vehicles. The company is the manufacturer of the self-driving vehicles running on line 500, as the ParkShuttle is listed in the timetable. Set up in 1999, this line has been carrying passengers between Rotterdam's Kralingse Zoom metro station and the Rivium business park for 19 years. In its 17-year existence, the system has carried more than six million passengers; over 2,400 passengers are estimated to use the ParkShuttle each day.
Six new vehicles
The ParkShuttle line is now being extended. 2getthere has signed an agreement with Capelle aan den IJssel for the delivery of six new shuttles, which can carry 500 passengers per hour on the line in both directions. These are so-called Group Rapid Transit (GRT) vehicles, which can carry 16 to 24 passengers depending on their configuration. The GRT vehicles act as automated minibuses; the vehicles run at a high frequency and passengers pay per seat to use the mode of transport.
As standard, GRT vehicles from 2getthere are equipped with 8 seats and 16 stacking seats. However, it is also possible to configure the vehicles with 12 seats and 6 stacking seats. The autonomous buses are 6 metres long, 2.1 metres wide and 2.8 metres high. The vehicles are equipped with two li-ion nano NMC batteries, each with a capacity of 18.4 kWh, and run on 400 volts. A GRT vehicle can propel itself at a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour and has a range of about 50 kilometres under normal conditions.
Also active on public roads
The new GRT vehicles that 2getthere will deliver should be operational in 2019 on the existing route of the ParkShuttle line. In 2020, the route will be extended to a station near the Van Brienenoord Bridge, which will allow users to transfer to the Waterbus. This Waterbus connects the Drechtsteden (Alblasserdam, Dordrecht, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Papendrecht, Sliedrecht and Zwijndrecht) with Rotterdam, with the ParkShuttle providing access to the Rotterdam metro network. The extension of the route is expected to increase the number of ParkShuttle users by 20%.
"We are exploring the possibility of extending the route to Erasmus University Rotterdam. This extension, as well as the connection to transport via water, will result in a substantial increase in passengers. We also anticipate the realisation of Feyenoord City, allowing fans and event visitors to travel from the Rivium. Moreover, the business park will be able to welcome many new visitors who do not own a car, which fits well with our ambition to transform this place into the Rivium Campus: an attractive urban environment where working, living and leisure go hand in hand," said Dick van Sluis, alderman of the municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel.
Public road
The route travelled by the current ParkShuttle line is shielded from other traffic, so the GRT vehicles do not have to share the road with other vehicles. However, with the extension of the route, the autonomous minibuses will operate on public roads from 2020, sharing the road with regular traffic on the road. This makes the project unique in the world, according to 2getthere. Self-driving vehicles with level 3 autonomy, where a human driver is present in the vehicle, have been experimented for some time. However, no other autonomous transport system is currently operating on public roads without the presence of a human driver. This is also known as level 4 autonomy.
Using the public road means that the GRT vehicles have to take into account both regular traffic and pedestrians. This is possible thanks to a combination of space planning and new technological developments, says COO of 2getthere Robert Lohmann. Lohmann points to 2getthere's experience with the system. "Keep in mind that this is a third-generation system; it is the product of 20 years of experience with previous generations. Autonomous driving on public roads has become part of our technology roadmap and is in line with our vision of autonomous transport in general. This not only looks at the system itself, but also at how autonomous transport fits into an urban environment," Lohmann said.
Experimental law on self-driving cars
Since 2015, the Dutch government has allowed experimentation with self-driving vehicles on public roads. However, this requires a human driver to be present in the vehicle at all times. Therefore, before the driverless ParkShuttle can take to the road, the Dutch government must first introduce the 'Experimentation Act on Self-Driving Cars'. This law allows the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management to issue permits for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads, with vehicles only needing to be remotely monitored by a human. The bill for this law was sent to the Lower House in November 2017 by Infrastructure and Water Management Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen. Lohmann expects the Lower House to pass this law.
The renewal of the ParkShuttle line will cost €8.5 million. Half of this amount will be provided by De Verkeersonderneming Rotterdam, a public-private partnership between the municipality of Rotterdam, the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region partnership, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The investment is part of the Marketplace for Infrastructure, an initiative that promotes public-private cooperation in the field of infrastructure.
Personal Rapid Transport
Besides the GRT, 2getthere incidentally also supplies Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) vehicles, which are aimed at on-demand passenger transport. These vehicles run on a network of guide rails and can take passengers to any location within this network. The system thus combines the possibility of private travel with the advantages of public transport, such as not having to search for a parking space and not having to join traffic jams.
The PRT accommodates up to four adults and two children. The vehicle weighs about 1,400 kilograms and is about 3.9 metres long, 1.4 metres wide and 2 metres high. Under normal conditions, the PRT has a range of 50 to 75 kilometres and can propel at a speed of up to 40 kilometres per hour. The second generation of 2getthere's PRT system is in use in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: 2getthere (photo)
Source: De Verkeersonderneming Rotterdam
