Autonomous vehicles: challenges, opportunities, and future implications for transportation policies

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities pertaining to transportation policies that may arise as a result of emerging autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies. AV technologies can decrease the transportation cost and increase accessibility to low-income households and persons with mobility issues. This emerging technology also has far-reaching applications and implications beyond all current expectations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and explores a broad spectrum of issues from safety to machine ethics. An indispensable part of a prospective AV development is communication over cars and infrastructure (connected vehicles). A major knowledge gap exists in AV technology with respect to routing behaviors. Connected-vehicle technology provides a great opportunity to implement an efficient and intelligent routing system. To this end, we propose a conceptual navigation model based on a fleet of AVs that are centrally dispatched over a network seeking system optimization. This study contributes to the literature on two fronts: (i) it attempts to shed light on future opportunities as well as possible hurdles associated with AV technology; and (ii) it conceptualizes a navigation model for the AV which leads to highly efficient traffic circulations

Intelligent and Efficient Transport Systems

The aim of this book is to present a number of digital and technology solutions to real-world problems across transportation sectors and infrastructures. Nine chapters have been well prepared and organized with the core topics as follows: -A guideline to evaluate the energy efficiency of a vehicle -A guideline to design and evaluate an electric propulsion system -Potential opportunities for intelligent transportation systems and smart cities -The importance of system control and energy-power management in transportation systems and infrastructures -Bespoke modeling tools and real-time simulation platforms for transportation system development This book will be useful to a wide range of audiences: university staff and students, engineers, and business people working in relevant fields

Development of a spatial data infrastructure for precision agriculture applications

Precision agriculture (PA) is the technical answer to tackling heterogeneous conditions in a field. It works through site specific operations on a small scale and is driven by data. The objective is an optimized agricultural field application that is adaptable to local needs. The needs differ within a task by spatial conditions. A field, as a homogenous-planted unit, exceeds by its size the scale units of different landscape ecological properties, like soil type, slope, moisture content, solar radiation etc. Various PA-sensors sample data of the heterogeneous conditions in a field. PA-software and Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) transfer the data into status information or application instructions, which are optimized for the local conditions. The starting point of the research was the determination that the process of PA was only being used in individual environments without exchange between different users and to other domains. Data have been sampled regarding specific operations, but the model of PA suffers from these closed data streams and software products. Initial sensors, data processing and controlled implementations were constructed and sold as monolithic application. An exchange of hard- or software as well as of data was not planned. The design was focused on functionality in a fixed surrounding and conceived as being a unit. This has been identified as a disadvantage for ongoing developments and the creation of added value. Influences from the outside that may be innovative or even inspired cannot be considered. To make this possible, the underlying infrastructure must be flexible and optimized for the exchange of data. This thesis explores the necessary data handling, in terms of integrating knowledge of other domains with a focus on the geo-spatial data processing. As PA is largely dependent on geographical data, this work develops spatial data infrastructure (SDI) components and is based on the methods and tools of geo-informatics. An SDI provides concepts for the organization of geospatial components. It consists of spatial- and metadata in geospatial workflows. The SDI in the center of these workflows is implemented by technologies, policies, arrangements, and interfaces to make the data accessible for various users. Data exchange is the major aim of the concept. As previously stated, data exchange is necessary for PA operations, and it can benefit from defined components of an SDI. Furthermore, PA-processes gain access to interchange with other domains. The import of additional, external data is a benefit. Simultaneously, an export interface for agricultural data offers new possibilities. Coordinated communication ensures understanding for each participant. From the technological point of view, standardized interfaces are best practice. This work demonstrates the benefit of a standardized data exchange for PA, by using the standards of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The OGC develops and publishes a wide range of relevant standards, which are widely adopted in geospatially enabled software. They are practically proven in other domains and were implemented partially in FMIS in the recent years. Depending on their focus, they could support software solutions by incorporating additional information for humans or machines into additional logics and algorithms. This work demonstrates the benefits of standardized data exchange for PA, especially by the standards of the OGC. The process of research follows five objectives: (i) to increase the usability of PA-tools in order to open the technology for a wider group of users, (ii) to include external data and services seamlessly through standardized interfaces to PA-applications, (iii) to support exchange with other domains concerning data and technology, (iv) to create a modern PA-software architecture, which allows new players and known brands to support processes in PA and to develop new business segments, (v) to use IT-technologies as a driver for agriculture and to contribute to the digitalization of agriculture.Precision agriculture (PA) ist die technische Antwort, um heterogenen Bedingungen in einem Feld zu begegnen. Es arbeitet mit teilflächenspezifischen Handlungen kleinräumig und ist durch Daten angetrieben. Das Ziel ist die optimierte landwirtschaftliche Feldanwendung, welche an die lokalen Gegebenheiten angepasst wird. Die Bedürfnisse unterscheiden sich innerhalb einer Anwendung in den räumlichen Bedingungen. Ein Feld, als gleichmäßig bepflanzte Einheit, überschreitet in seiner Größe die räumlichen Einheiten verschiedener landschaftsökologischer Größen, wie den Bodentyp, die Hangneigung, den Feuchtigkeitsgehalt, die Sonneneinstrahlung etc. Unterschiedliche Sensoren sammeln Daten zu den heterogenen Bedingungen im Feld. PA-Software und farm management information systems (FMIS) überführen die Daten in Statusinformationen oder Bearbeitungsanweisungen, die für die Bedingungen am Ort optimiert sind. Ausgangspunkt dieser Dissertation war die Feststellung, dass der Prozess innerhalb von PA sich nur in einer individuellen Umgebung abspielte, ohne dass es einen Austausch zwischen verschiedenen Nutzern oder anderen Domänen gab. Daten wurden gezielt für Anwendungen gesammelt, aber das Modell von PA leidet unter diesen geschlossenen Datenströmen und Softwareprodukten. Ursprünglich wurden Sensoren, die Datenverarbeitung und die Steuerung von Anbaugeräten konstruiert und als monolithische Anwendung verkauft. Ein Austausch von Hard- und Software war ebenso nicht vorgesehen wie der von Daten. Das Design war auf Funktionen in einer festen Umgebung ausgerichtet und als eine Einheit konzipiert. Dieses zeigte sich als Nachteil für weitere Entwicklungen und bei der Erzeugung von Mehrwerten. Äußere innovative oder inspirierende Einflüsse können nicht berücksichtigt werden. Um dieses zu ermöglichen muss die darunterliegende Infrastruktur flexibel und auf einen Austausch von Daten optimiert sein. Diese Dissertation erkundet die notwendige Datenverarbeitung im Sinne der Integration von Wissen aus anderen Bereichen mit dem Fokus auf der Verarbeitung von Geodaten. Da PA sehr abhängig von geographischen Daten ist, werden in dieser Arbeit die Bausteine einer Geodateninfrastruktur (GDI) entwickelt, die auf den Methoden undWerkzeugen der Geoinformatik beruhen. Eine GDI stellt Konzepte zur Organisation räumlicher Komponenten. Sie besteht aus Geodaten und Metadaten in raumbezogenen Arbeitsprozessen. Die GDI, als Zentrum dieser Arbeitsprozesse, wird mit Technologien, Richtlinien, Regelungen sowie Schnittstellen, die den Zugriff durch unterschiedliche Nutzer ermöglichen, umgesetzt. Datenaustausch ist das Hauptziel des Konzeptes. Wie bereits erwähnt, ist der Datenaustausch wichtig für PA-Tätigkeiten und er kann von den definierten Komponenten einer GDI profitieren. Ferner bereichert der Austausch mit anderen Gebieten die PA-Prozesse. Der Import zusätzlicher Daten ist daher ein Gewinn. Gleichzeitig bietet eine Export-Schnittstelle für landwirtschaftliche Daten neue Möglichkeiten. Koordinierte Kommunikation sichert das Verständnis für jeden Teilnehmer. Aus technischer Sicht sind standardisierte Schnittstellen die beste Lösung. Diese Arbeit zeigt den Gewinn durch einen standardisierten Datenaustausch für PA, indem die Standards des Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) genutzt wurden. Der OGC entwickelt und publiziert eine Vielzahl von relevanten Standards, die eine große Reichweite in Geo-Software haben. Sie haben sich in der Praxis anderer Bereiche bewährt und wurden in den letzten Jahren teilweise in FMIS eingesetzt. Abhängig von ihrer Ausrichtung könnten sie Softwarelösungen unterstützen, indem sie zusätzliche Informationen für Menschen oder Maschinen in zusätzlicher Logik oder Algorithmen integrieren. Diese Arbeit zeigt die Vorzüge eines standardisierten Datenaustauschs für PA, insbesondere durch die Standards des OGC. Die Ziele der Forschung waren: (i) die Nutzbarkeit von PA-Werkzeugen zu erhöhen und damit die Technologie einer breiteren Gruppe von Anwendern verfügbar zu machen, (ii) externe Daten und Dienste ohne Unterbrechung sowie über standardisierte Schnittstellen für PA-Anwendungen einzubeziehen, (iii) den Austausch mit anderen Bereichen im Bezug auf Daten und Technologien zu unterstützen, (iv) eine moderne PA-Softwarearchitektur zu erschaffen, die es neuen Teilnehmern und bekannten Marken ermöglicht, Prozesse in PA zu unterstützen und neue Geschäftsfelder zu entwickeln, (v) IT-Technologien als Antrieb für die Landwirtschaft zu nutzen und einen Beitrag zur Digitalisierung der Landwirtschaft zu leisten

Quantified vehicles: data, services, ecosystems

Advancing digitalization has shown the potential of so-called Quantified Vehicles for gathering valuable sensor data about the vehicle itself and its environment. Consequently, (vehicle) Data has become an important resource, which can pave the way to (Data-driven) Services. The (Data-driven Service) Ecosystem of actors that collaborate to ultimately generate services, has only shaped up in recent years. This cumulative dissertation summarizes the author's contributions and includes a synopsis as well as 14 peer-reviewed publications, which contribute to answer the three research questions.Die Digitalisierung hat das Potenzial für Quantified Vehicles aufgezeigt, um Sensordaten über das Fahrzeug selbst und seine Umgebung zu sammeln. Folglich sind (Fahrzeug-)Daten zu einer wichtigen Ressource der Automobilindustrie geworden, da sie auch (datengetriebene) Services ermöglichen. Es bilden sich Ökosysteme von Akteuren, die zusammenarbeiten, um letztlich Services zu generieren. Diese kumulative Dissertation fasst die Beiträge des Autors zusammen und enthält eine Synopsis sowie 14 begutachtete Veröffentlichungen, die zur Beantwortung der drei Forschungsfragen beitragen

Feasible, Robust and Reliable Automation and Control for Autonomous Systems

The Special Issue book focuses on highlighting current research and developments in the automation and control field for autonomous systems as well as showcasing state-of-the-art control strategy approaches for autonomous platforms. The book is co-edited by distinguished international control system experts currently based in Sweden, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, with contributions from reputable researchers from China, Austria, France, the United States of America, Poland, and Hungary, among many others. The editors believe the ten articles published within this Special Issue will be highly appealing to control-systems-related researchers in applications typified in the fields of ground, aerial, maritime vehicles, and robotics as well as industrial audiences

Safety and Reliability - Safe Societies in a Changing World

The contributions cover a wide range of methodologies and application areas for safety and reliability that contribute to safe societies in a changing world. These methodologies and applications include: - foundations of risk and reliability assessment and management - mathematical methods in reliability and safety - risk assessment - risk management - system reliability - uncertainty analysis - digitalization and big data - prognostics and system health management - occupational safety - accident and incident modeling - maintenance modeling and applications - simulation for safety and reliability analysis - dynamic risk and barrier management - organizational factors and safety culture - human factors and human reliability - resilience engineering - structural reliability - natural hazards - security - economic analysis in risk managemen

Housing quality and lost (public) space in Croatia

IN ENGLISH: In the post-socialist period and within the current social transition context, urban and rural Croatia has, just like other transition countries, experienced many changes in the social structure and space. One example is the housing quality which is a replica of the situation in the Croatian society and has also undergone some major changes. Socially oriented housing construction co-financed by the state and the cities is in an unfavourable position compared to private housing construction. In the last twenty years the amount of the social housing construction has been only a minor part of the total contruction work in the country. For instance, out of nine newly planned residential housing developments in Zagreb, the capital city, only three have been completed and the work on the rest of them has stopped and is unlikely to continue. Private construction work prevails especially on the edge of the city and is characterised by high density housing. This type of housing construction doesn't benefit the majority of citizens in search of accommodation (price per square meter is too high, low-quality building). There is also a big problem of the community facilities (primary and secondary infrastructure, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, green areas, sidewalks, public transport etc.). The existing globalisation-transition circumstances of the Croatian society corroborate the fact which experts of various profiles often point out: ignoring the process of (urban) planning will irreparably damage the space. The city transformation shows the absence of comprehensive urban planning which results in an ever increasing number of random buildings which do not fit in the surroundings. This leads up to yet another important issue – the shrinking and, in some cases, disappearance of public space which becomes the “lost space“. In recent years there has been a lot of building in the city core and on the edge which does not quite fit in the existing urban structure, image or the skyline of the city. The current situation in the process of planning can be characterized as a conflict and imbalance between the powerful actors (mostly political and economic) and less powerful actors (mostly professional and civil). The actors who have the political power and influence and the ones who possess the capital are forming an “alliance” between two important layers of the social structure. The lack of civil and professional actors, “lost spatial actors”, and therefore of civic aggregation is also present and that is also the cause of public space “disappearance” and undermined process of public participation. --------------- IN CROATIAN: U postsocijalističkom razdoblju i trenutnom tranzicijskom kontekstu urbana i ruralna Hrvatska su, kao i ostale tranzicijske zemlje, doživjele mnoge promjene u društvenoj strukturi i samom prostoru. Na primjeru kvalitete stanovanja kao replike stanja u hrvatskom društvu mogu se vidjeti značajne promjene. Društveno usmjerena stambena izgradnja sufinancirana od strane države i gradova je stoga rjeđa i u nepovoljnijoj je situaciji prema privatnoj stanogradnji. Zadnjih dvadeset godina udjel socijalne stambene gradnje je zanemariv u ukupnoj izgradnji na razini zemlje. Primjerice, od devet planiranih stambenih naselja izgrađenih po modelu POS-a u Zagrebu samo su tri i završena. Na ostalima je proces gradnje zastao i ne čini se da će se privesti kraju. Privatna je gradnje prisutnija, posebno na rubovima grada, a obilježava je visoka gustoća gradnje. Ovakav tip gradnje ne odgovara većini stanovnika koji su u procesu potražnje stambene nekretnine (visoka cijena kvadratnog metra, a slaba kvaliteta gradnje). Postoji također i problem nedostatne opremljenosti susjedstva (primarna i sekundarna infrastruktura, škole, vrtići, igrališta, zelene površine, pješačke staze, javni transport itd.). Navedene globalizacijsko-tranzicijske okolnosti hrvatskog društva potvrđuju ono što eksperti različitih profila ističu, a to je da će ignoriranje procesa (urbanog) planiranja nepovratno uništiti prostor gradova. Ovakve transformacije pokazuju nedostatak sustavnog urbanog planiranja što rezultira sve većim brojem zgrada koje se ne uklapaju u neposrednu okolinu. To nadalje dovodi do drugog važnog aspekta – smanjivanja i u nekim slučajevima, nestanka javnog prostora koji postaje „izgubljeni prostor“. Posljednjih je godina izgrađen velik broj zgrada, i u središtu i na rubovima grada, koje se ne uklapaju u postojeću urbanu strukturu, izgled ili vizuru grada. Ovakvu situaciju obilježavaju sukob i neravnoteža između moćnijih društvenih aktera (većinom političkih i ekonomskih) i onih manje moćnih (većinom profesionalnih i civilnih). Politički i ekonomski akteri se često povezuju u „savez“ dvaju najjačih u društvenoj strukturi. S druge strane nedostatak utjecaja civilnih i profesionalnih aktera kao „izgubljenih prostornih aktera“ dovodi do „nestanka“ javnih prostora te smanjenja važnosti procesa participacije (sudjelovanja javnosti)