Innovations - Cyprus Public Transport

Project Autotrust

The AutoTRUST project aims to develop and demonstrate a novel AI-leveraged self-adaptive framework of advanced vehicle technologies and solutions which optimize usability, perception, and experience on-board, and when boarding/off-boarding, in terms of security, privacy, well-being, health and assistance. AutoTRUST provides enhanced inclusiveness and trust in the interaction between users and new automated modes of road transport and mobility services in the transition from human-driven to automated vehicles. Safety and security of vehicle occupants in all circumstances even when the vehicle is driverless by helping to prevent dangerous and inconvenient situations will be of paramount importance. Intense cooperation between users, vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, researchers, and other stakeholders to co-design vehicles with solutions that optimize the on-board experience will beadopted. Moreover, an in-depth knowledge of the benefits of new vehicle technologies and solutions in terms of on-board experience, accessibility, inclusiveness, and trust will be acquired to enable wider user acceptability and contribute to the creation of future standards.

Project EMS4PVBEV

EMS4PVBEV project aims to pave the way for increased penetration of renewable energy sources (RES), mainly solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and electric vehicles (EVs), to be integrated and optimally managed by addressing challenges of the efficient utilization of electricity storage technologies and smart energy management systems (EMS). Driven by the timely energy transition and climate change challenges, the research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) focus of the project is in energy storage systems and renewable-powered smart EV charging stations, aligned with the European Green Deal priorities to ensure a renewable-based energy supply, decarbonize the energy and transport sectors, and to accelerate the shift to smart and sustainable mobility. Cyprus’ ambitious goal per the National Energy & Climate Plan is to increase the share of RES in energy consumption by 2030 to 23% gross final energy consumption and 14% in the transport sector. Also, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency RES could provide 25% to 40% of Cyprus’ total electricity supply in 2030 and approximately 50,000 EVs. Even though the advent of EVs promises to be a game-changer for the shift to sustainable energy, revolutionary solutions are needed to solve the most pressing challenges such as ensuring clean energy, cost-effective charging (EV chargers powered by solar PV), reducing infrastructure upgrade requirements for grid stability (limiting PV & EV penetration) and to unleash synergies between clean transport and low-carbon electricity. It is within this context that the project will develop a next-generation energy demand management solution for renewable-powered & battery integrated EV charging stations. The project will facilitate the establishment of a solid network between Cyprus Public Transport and the PV Technology Laboratory/FOSS Research Centre of the University of Cyprus that will jointly tackle the challenges in integrating high shares PV and EV through storage and smart EMS.

Project Pavescan

Pavement condition assessment is a vital aspect of maintaining and managing road infrastructure and thus to achieving national and EU-wide transport-related goals. The proposed system is of practical importance since it provides continuous information about roadway pavement surface anomalies which are valuable for efficiently monitoring the transport infrastructure and for public safety. The vision for roadway condition assessment by utilisation of smartphone-like technology is set in parallel with the hypothesis that such technology can be used for crowd-sourced data collection and analysis in GIS-based pavement management systems (PMS), and that the developed technology and related transport informatics are disruptive technologies that have the potential to reshape the transport and infrastructure O&M industries through the project objectives.

Project Sum

The objective of SUM is to transform current mobility networks towards innovative and novel shared mobility systems (NSM) integrated with public transport (PT) in more than 15 European Cities by 2026 reaching 30 by 2030. Intermodality, interconnectivity, sustainability, safety, and resilience are at the core of this innovation. The outcomes of the project offer affordable and reliable solutions considering the needs of all stakeholders such as end users, private companies, public urban authorities. SUM project will develop five pillars consisting of technological, co-creation, and policy tools to tackle the identified NSM barriers for a typical, car-focused family. These five pillars can increase the modal share of NSM via targeted push/pull measures and policy recommendations. SUM will introduce a federation of solutions including prediction, scheduling, integrated NSM-PT ticketing, and real-time NSM management. This created ecosystem will reduce the total door-to-door travel times using integrated NSM-PT. This can change the behavior of 34% of travellers using cars and 17% of travelers sceptic about using NSM. The partners in this diverse consortium have access to innovative tools and expertise making them uniquely positioned to tackle the barriers in 9 living labs and 30 organizations across Europe.