In order to create modern public transport, that contributes decisively to optimising mobility, promoting a more balanced and sustainable society, and thus improving the levels of comfort, safety and functionality of its users, OptiPEx has centred “co-creation” in our methodology.
Co-creation operates as both an instrument to understand the expectations of stakeholders who promote or use public transport (PT) and as a strategy to outline specific paths for integrating and developing different views of public transport into the future transport technologies. In order to do this, OptiPEx works directly with public transport users, letting our work be guided by their experiences in using public transport and the technological alternatives they believe could address any challenges they perceive.
OptiPEx now tries to expand and improve this status quo by incorporating another objective, the improvement of inclusivity, opening the accessibility, use and functionality of public transport to users with different types of disabilities (visual, physical, derived from advanced age), with different types of difficulty (transporting large objects, such as luggage, baby strollers or bicycles), with cultural impediments or language barriers (tourists) and also targeting the users who will make the public transport of the future their own, young people, in the figure of the students.
Automatic assistance for passengers with special needs
This use case focuses on recognising different passenger groups, such as people with reduced mobility, travellers with luggage, or tourists, and understanding their needs. Based on this, the system can provide timely support, such as guidance, alerts, or assistance, to make travelling easier and more inclusive.
Improving on-board safety with anomaly detection
This use case aims to detect situations where something unusual may be happening. This could include signs of passenger distress (e.g. panic or discomfort) or problems in the vehicle environment (e.g. poor air quality or overheating). The system can respond by adjusting conditions or alerting staff to ensure safety and comfort.
Pedestrian-to-vehicle communication
This use case focuses on safety outside the vehicle. It helps detect potential collision situations between pedestrians and trams. By enabling communication between vehicles and their surroundings, the system can warn about risks and support safer interactions in urban traffic.
Passenger distribution optimisation
This use case aims to improve comfort by reducing crowding. It identifies how passengers are distributed within a vehicle or across vehicles and provides guidance to help passengers move to less crowded areas, making journeys more convenient and balanced.
In the first stage of the co-creation process, 22 different services (each falling within one of the use cases) were identified as potential solutions to improving passenger safety, comfort, and accessibility. Following several iterative rounds of stakeholder engagements, OptiPEx is left with eight final solutions, which we will develop and test in our four Living Lab sites. These include:
Notification to a driver about specific passenger types: This service recognises (e.g., with a video-based analysis) different passenger groups (wheelchair users, physically impaired passengers, passengers with a large item, group of people travelling together) and provides notification to drivers when they either board or offboard the vehicle. This notification indicates to the driver that additional time or assistance may be needed. In having this information, the driver can provide more attention when a person with special needs is boarding/off boarding to ensure a safe journey. The system also confirms successful boarding or off-boarding through passenger tracking.
Audio information channel for tourists: The service provides auditory instructions for using a specific aspect of the transport service, e.g., how to purchase and validate the ticket, how to indicate that one is stepping out of the vehicle, etc. The channel does not broadcast information to everyone over the passenger announcement system, but on a specific channel that passengers can choose to connect to, providing information in several languages. The information is heard via passengers’ own devices, such as headphones or hearing aids.
Save the seat: The service supports the real-time detection of available seating and designated spaces for special items, and provides this information to passengers before boarding via a communication channel such as a mobile app or display. It recognises when a passenger is boarding slowly (e.g., with a pram or luggage), alerts the vehicle to keep the doors open longer, and notifies other passengers to make space. The system also monitors boarding progress, to identify whether assistance is needed, ensure passengers are safely in place before the vehicle departs.
Communication system with Central Control: The service provides clear communication and support for passengers during unexpected stops, ensuring they feel informed, reassured, and safe in case of a detected technical malfunction. This service also provides a communication option with Central Control e.g., video connection. This option provides two interaction stages: interaction with an avatar, and then, if needed interaction with a human. The service includes instructions for safe exit and alternative transportation.
Optimised in-vehicle conditions to avoid travel discomfort: The service detects and predicts environmental conditions that may cause passenger discomfort, such as temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels, lighting, and odours. It helps prevent travel sickness by either notifying the driver or automatically adjusting the vehicle environment in advance, for example through ventilation, heating, or air-conditioning.
Passenger in-vehicle safety and security system: The service identifies insecure or unsafe situations, such as the harassment of a passenger, and provides support through a staged interaction process. The system first responds through an avatar, which assesses the situation and provides initial guidance. If further support is needed, the service connects the passenger to Central Control, where an operator can provide clear instructions and contact the police or security services when necessary.
Tram collision warning system: The service accurately and quickly detects pedestrians in front of the tram and calculate the potential frontal collision risk. If a risk is detected, the service sends a timely collision warning to: a) the smartphone of the pedestrian at risk, via a visual and audio warning; b) the driver of the tram; and, c) send the location and severity of the near collisions to a dashboard of the PT service provider.
Know before you go: The service provides real-time occupancy information, allowing users to monitor tram capacity via a smartphone app, website, or station-based audio and visual displays before boarding. This includes detailed crowding information for individual tram cars and specific designated areas, such as pram zones and space near boarding ramps.