People Movers and Bus Rapid Transit Systems |
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VehicleGuidance.com Automated Guided Vehicle Systems People Movers and Bus Rapid Transit Systems Aerospace Technology Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems Advanced Vehicle Control Systems Concerns |
In the bus transportation industry, vehicle guidance has been is use in Bus Rapid Transit Systems for many years. So far, the guidance has been mechanical: usually with horizontal wheels within vertical concrete "basins". In Eindhoven, The Netherlands, a Bus Rapid Transit System named the Phileas, uses the Free Range on Grid technology to actually drive the bus. The onboard computer knows when to brake for bus stops, and all-wheel steering allows the bus to drive up to the curb within centimeters. The buses' low floor has the same height as the curb, which allows for easy access for wheel chair users, etc. The driver only actually drives the bus outside the guided lane, and under extreme circumstances such as storms and slipery road surface. The systems offers an average speed of 30 km/hour (including stops), the same as underground metro and light rail systems, and faster than other Bus Rapid Transit Systems, which average 20 to 25 km/hour, and allows for two vehicles to be used as one. In all, this technology comes close to what is needed for Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems. |
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