Story by Fiona Killman
Associate Professor Hai Vu with Andrew Wall, Manager Network Operations at VicRoads Photo: Eamon Gallagher
“There is a lot more traffic on the road network, especially in the inner and middle parts of Melbourne,” Andrew Wall, Manager Network Operations at VicRoads says. “There is no more space to build our way out of the problem, so we have got to be smarter about how we use our existing roads. This involves the use of intelligent transport systems to give priority to transport that moves more people, and encourages drivers to make different choices about how they travel.”
To develop the system, Swinburne and VicRoads launched Victoria’s first dedicated traffic analysis research centre in April. Researchers at the Swinburne Intelligent Transport Systems Laboratory, based at the Hawthorn campus, will analyse live traffic data to develop new technology and algorithms to help improve traffic flow and make the journey safer for drivers by reducing collisions and managing disruptions.
Better informed, better managed trafficWall says the Swinburne team will receive data from every signalised intersection in Melbourne. “By partnering with academia we open up opportunities for more research that not only assists us to better manage the roads and make use of the wealth of data we collect, but also provides fantastic learning opportunities for students and researchers,” he says.
Head of the laboratory, Associate Professor Hai Vu, from Swinburne’s Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies, says advancements in technology enabling better access to more accurate, real-time information, inspired him to look into intelligent transport systems and approach VicRoads.
“I live in Melbourne and like many other big cities, traffic congestion has a huge impact on social and economic activities – not to mention how frustrating it can be for drivers. I see the opportunity where understanding how and when congestion occurs from traffic data can help to improve the situation. This is the idea underpinning this exciting new partnership,” he says.
“We can apply information and knowledge gained from traffic data to better utilise and manage our road infrastructure, and Swinburne has a lot of research activities and expertise in this area,” he says.
Rethinking transport systemsThe Swinburne team brings to the project extensive research expertise in networks and data communication, artificial intelligence and knowledge of data intensive systems, their management and control. The team also has expertise in sustainable infrastructure and transportation.
Associate Professor Vu says the laboratory will collaborate with Australian and international universities, including the University of Queensland, University of Melbourne and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. This will form partnerships with other leading researchers tackling this difficult problem and leverage the experience of similar initiatives overseas such as the co-operative traffic management centre in the Netherlands.
Wall says the initial role of VicRoads is to provide access to data and the traffic signal system; however, they plan to work with researchers in the near future to identify problems and solutions to improve traffic flow and reduce collisions and incidents.
“The university researchers have a lot of different skills and can bring completely different ways of thinking,” he says.
The driver experience“What people value is reliability,” Wall says. “If it generally takes a driver 20 minutes to get to work, we want it to consistently take 20 minutes.”
Intelligent transport systems aim to deliver more consistent and safer travel through improved traffic management, increased use of public transport and new technology. In the short term, this will mean changes to traffic signal timing in hot spots, as well as other strategies to improve traffic flow and ensure less disruption to public transport.
In the future, improved navigation systems could provide drivers with optimal turn-by-turn guidance based on live information about traffic congestion and incidents on their travel path. On-board technology could also identify when a driver is stressed or fatigued.
Under an intelligent transport system, communication between vehicles – an area Associate Professor Vu has been researching for some time – has the potential to reduce collisions and fatalities on the road by warning surrounding vehicles about sudden braking or other problems, so drivers can react faster.
“My vision is a transportation system where we can have cars, trains, buses and trams all connected, sharing information and interacting with people. It’s all part of a future digital society,” Associate Professor Vu says.
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