Frequently Asked Questions
FIND THE ANSWERS HERE
FIND THE ANSWERS HERE
When doing research, it’s always a good idea to get input from others. That’s why we’re asking for your help in developing the future of sustainable public transport. LINC will look at how passengers embrace the self-driving shuttles, how they become part of our livable cities, and how we ensure that this transport solution fits the needs of passengers. In addition, as a test passenger, you will have the opportunity to participate in various competitions during the test period.
All students and staff affiliated with institutes at DTU Campus Lyngby, Campus Ballerup, Campus Risø in Roskilde and in Jutland are welcome to become test passengers and participate in the experiment. Even if you are neither a student nor an employee of DTU, you can still become a test passenger and use the self-driving shuttles if you regularly visit DTU Campus Lyngby.
If you are interested in becoming a test passenger and accessing the self-driving shuttles during the test period, you can register here on LINC’s website. After your registration, you will receive a confirmation that you have signed up. Before we start driving on DTU Lyngby Campus, you will be sent a message to download LINC’s App.
We expect the test at DTU Lyngby Campus will begin in April 2021. We will continuously keep the registered test passengers and others updated about the final start time.
We expect the test at DTU Campus in Lyngby to run from mid-April until the autumn 2021.
We call the vehicle a shuttle because it is a completely different type of service from traditional buses that we know today. Firstly, the self-driving shuttle is a completely different technology from traditional buses. Next, a self-driving shuttle will be able to provide a very different and more dynamic service to the passenger. The routes of the shuttles can be based on the passengers’ needs on a day-to-day basis – and thus not run a fixed route like buses we know today. This means shuttles could eventually transport the passengers door-to-door – for example, from station to workplace. This will not be tested at DTU Campus, but the project will test different degrees of a dynamic service. The shuttle also looks very different from a bus, and it accommodates only 10-12 passengers, whereas a traditional bus can carry 50-99 people.
Anyone who has downloaded the LINC app can use the three self-driving shuttles at Campus Lyngby during the test period. The LINC app will be available in the spring of 2020 via the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play on Android devices.
Hvis du har spørgsmål til testen eller driften af de selvkørende shuttles, er du velkommen til at kontakte os på info@lincproject.dk. Vi vil svare så hurtigt vi kan.
The app is an important tool for you as a test passenger. It allows you to better plan your trip, as you will be able to see where the shuttle stops, as well as the expected arrival and departure times. If any delays or other unforeseen events occur, you will also be notified via the app. In addition, the LINC app is essential to the project in terms of collecting anonymous data about your use and experience of the self-driving shuttles. Through the app you will be able to answer surveys, and your phone will be able to communicate with beacons set up around Campus Lyngby to share knowledge about your transport needs. It allows us to plan your trip and create a better shuttle service.
Travelling in the three LINC shuttles is free of charge.
RUC undersøger interaktionen mellem passagerne, den selvkørende shuttle og andre trafikanter. Når de uformelle trafikregler, såsom øjenkontakt med chauffør m.v., er sat ud af spil, er RUC interesseret i, hvordan vores adfærd med en selvkørende shuttle ændres. Det kan give anledning til, at foreslå andre indretninger af køretøjet eller af de fysiske omgivelser/infrastruktur.
When you register as a test passenger, we process the general personal information that you have
given us: name, address, email address and telephone number. We use the information to:
You can read much more about the processing of your data and your rights in this information letter.
On weekdays between 05.30 – 19.00. We don’t drive during the weekends and national holidays.
Shuttlen kører på hverdage mellem klokken 7.00 – 17.00 – her vil den køre med et 15 minutters interval fra alle stoppesteder.
Det tager cirka 10 minutter at køre ruten på DTU.
Af sikkerhedsmæssige årsager er hastigheden for de tre shuttles på campus-området begrænset til maksimalt 15 kilometer i timen. Denne hastighed er påkrævet til testkørslen af myndighederne.
There are a total of three self-driving LINC shuttles that will be operating on campus.
The self-driving shuttles will run in the southern part of DTU Campus Lyngby. On the approximately three-kilometer route, there are good connections to the regular buses 30E, 300S, 180, 181 and 190. The route is chosen to provide a local service and to bring you closer to your destination.
There are five stops on the route with about 300-400 meters between them. They connect students, staff and visitors to classrooms, bus stops, the EV Lab, Villum Kann Rasmussen Kollegiet, Netto, the student canteen, DTU Skylab and other cafeterias.
Nobina Denmark is the operator of the three self-driving shuttles and has stewards and security personnel available. The company is the Nordic region’s largest public transport operator and provides transport to more than a million people. Nobina already has experience from tests with self-driving shuttles in Gothenburg, Sweden, as well as in Kista and Barkarby near Stockholm.
No, it is not possible to order the shuttle at DTU Campus. This will be part of a future test.
You can plan your travel through the LINC app. The app shows the locations of the three shuttles, the stops and when they are due to arrive at the stops. The LINC app is not connected to the transport information service Rejseplanen, but you will be able to see existing, normal bus stops and what regular buses are already running to and from campus. This makes it easier to switch to and from traditional buses to LINC shuttles or vice versa.
The LINC shuttle will run like a regular bus with a route. During this period, data is collected via the LINC app developed by DTU and IBM and information on test passengers’ experiences and behavior using surveys.
In the future, the shuttle can be tested as a more dynamic service, where the route over the operating day can be varied as needed. If, for example in the afternoon, a greater need for transport to / from Netto is anticipated on the campus area, this route can be prioritized, and there may be inserted several shuttles. The shuttle will therefore run according to a dynamic route plan, which is planned on a daily basis. This is in contrast to an existing bus, where a rerouting of the route often requires a longer planning period. It can also be tested whether the self-driving shuttles can become a ‘we come when you call’ service. However, these scenarios will not be part of the test at DTU Lyngby Campus.
The three self-driving shuttles have been supplied to LINC by the French company EasyMile, which specializes in self-driving mobility solutions. The company supplies self-driving vehicles throughout the world, and the vehicles have so far been tested in over 200 different locations. EasyMile started as a collaboration between the vehicle manufacturer Ligier and Robosoft Technologies in June 2014 and has since received capital from Alstom and Continental.
The three shuttles are 100% electric and have about ten hours of battery life. Charging an empty battery takes about ten hours. The three self-driving shuttles are expected to charge at night and not during the day.
A self-driving shuttle is a vehicle that can be driven with or without the assistance of a driver. The SAE J3016 standard defines six levels of self-driving vehicles. The shuttles used at the DTU Campus during the test period will run at SAE Level 3 and have a steward on board, which is a requirement from the Danish authorities. The SAE levels are: Level 0 – No automation: The driver of the vehicle performs all functions, even if there are installed automated systems, such as ABS brakes, which can sometimes assist the driver. Level 1 – Driver assisted: The driver and the automated system share control of the vehicle. Specific examples include cruise control, parking assistance and lane-keeping assistance. Level 2 – Partial automation: The automated system has control over the vehicle, for example, in relation to accelerating, slowing down and steering. The driver must monitor the vehicle’s movement and be prepared to act quickly in potentially dangerous situations. “Hands free” should not be taken literally, as contact with the steering wheel and hands is often necessary to confirm presence of the driver. Level 3 – Conditional automation: This is the level at which our shuttles will operate. The vehicle performs all driving tasks with the expectation that the driver can intervene in some unpredictable situations that require human intervention. For example, there may be cases where a vehicle is parked illegally in the road. In these cases, the self-driving shuttle will automatically stop but will not be able to pass the vehicle on its own. There will be a steward on board the self-driving shuttle who can intervene. Level 4 – High automation: There will be no need for a driver on board the vehicle as the automated systems can handle the majority of complicated driving conditions. Typically, the vehicle will be monitored by a control center and there must be a steward in the immediate vicinity who can assist the vehicle in special cases. Level 5 – Full automation: The vehicle can handle even the most complicated driving conditions, and no driver or steward will be required to monitor driving.
The shuttle uses geolocation to find its way. The system is supported by the following components: – Light detection and ranging (LIDARs) – Cameras – Radar – GPS positioning – Inertial measurement unit (IMU) – Ordometry You can read more about the technology on the manufacturer’s website: https://EasyMile.com/technology-EasyMile/
EasyMile self-driving shuttles use so-called LIDAR (light detection and ranging). Simply put, LIDAR is the vehicle’s “eyes” on the road. If an object comes too close to the vehicle, it either slows down or makes a quick emergency stop, depending on how close the object is to the vehicle. The LIDAR uses laser technology to collect large amounts of high-precision distance measurements. Four LIDARs are mounted at the bottom of the vehicle in each corner. They can “see” 40 meters. In addition, the vehicle has one LIDAR at each end of the vehicle. These are called 3D LIDAR as they can identify objects. They can “see” 80 meters in each direction. On top of the vehicle two LIDARs are mounted. They can “see” 220 meters in each direction. The eight LIDARs cover the full 360 degrees around the vehicle. The shuttle is also camera-monitored inside and outside.
When people talk about “intelligent” vehicles, they’re often referring to artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is like human intelligence, done by machines. No artificial intelligence is installed in the self-driving shuttles. This means that the shuttle is unable to make independent driving decisions. In other words, the shuttle does only what it is programmed for – no more, no less. There are many options for using artificial intelligence on board the shuttles – for example, one could ask for directions when at one point there is no steward on board the shuttle. An artificial intelligence would also be able to learn complicated driving situations, thereby supporting a higher degree of automated driving. IBM, which is a partner in the LINC project, has been among the first to experiment with artificial intelligence, mainly in the further development of the supercomputer Watson. The possibilities are many, but Watson, for example, can use a tone analysis tool to interpret the anger, joy, disappointment or surprise of a conversation partner. Watson’s artificial intelligence, for example, is used in Olli – a self-driving shuttle, where it combines the functionality of a driver and a tour guide in communicating with passengers.
Yes, a major application and approval process has provided the basis for the test at DTU Campus. Basically, there are two mutually dependent approvals: one for experiments with self-driving vehicles, and a second for approving the specific type of vehicle. 1) Application for experiments with self-driving vehicles and 2) type-approval of the vehicle.
For safety reasons, the speed of the three campus shuttles is limited to a maximum of 15 kilometers per hour. This speed limit is a requirement of the authorities.
For safety reasons, there is a steward on board each shuttle during the test period. The steward’s job is to step in and take control of the vehicle in the event of a difficult situation – for example, an illegally parked car. The presence of the steward is a requirement of the authorities.
Yes. Prior to the permit to conduct the test, thorough and very comprehensive approval work has been undertaken to anticipate and minimize potentially hazardous traffic situations. During the test, there will always be a steward on board who will monitor the vehicle’s movement and who can step in if some potentially dangerous situations arise. The safety systems on board are never distracted, never sleep and can see in all directions – 360 degrees around the vehicle. In traffic, however, there is never a guarantee that accidents will not happen, as traffic is made up of cyclists, pedestrians and motorists, but the safety of passengers and fellow road users is our highest priority.
There have been a few minor accidents involving material damage. The most frequent cause of accidents is that the shuttle is hit by another motorist, for example, a truck reversing when the shuttle is behind it. In a case like this, the shuttle will not move out of the way by itself, but requires quick intervention by the steward on board the shuttle, who will steer it away with a joystick.
If an accident occurs, we follow the same procedures as for ordinary buses: emergency assistance will be called, and all factors will be investigated to help prevent the same happening again.
