Page 95 - Big Data Analytics for Connected Vehicles and Smart Cities

76 Big Data Analytics for Connected Vehicles and Smart Cities Connected and Autonomous Vehicles 77

transportation. The concept could emerge as driverless Uber or as an adaptation
of the current rental car approach, with rental car companies operating a fleet of
autonomous vehicles to provide on-demand transportation. A subscriber would
be able to use a smart phone app to summon a vehicle on demand, and sophis-
ticated algorithms (probably already in place at Uber) would allocate the most
appropriate vehicle and dispatch it to the subscriber. Under this scenario, it is
likely that there would be more miles traveled by a lesser number of vehicles.
The basis for this thinking is that autonomous vehicles would operate 24 hours
a day, seven days a week, generating more miles than current vehicles. This
would obviate the need for people to own their own vehicles, hence reducing
the number of vehicles on the road.
While it is also possible that individuals will acquire their own autono-
mous vehicles, perhaps this fleet approach represents a useful transition strategy
from manually operated to autonomous vehicles. The operation of an autono-
mous fleet by professional managers and operators would help with the smooth
introduction of the technology. Fleet operation of autonomous vehicles could
also have significant impact on transit services and freight delivery services
within a smart city. There is also considerable scope for applying big data and
data analytics to the needs of the transportation disadvantaged. The efficiency
and effectiveness of on-demand transportation services for those people who
cannot use conventional route services could be greatly improved by the use of
such techniques.
There is a convergence between the operation of an autonomous vehicle
fleet and these needs. While considerable publicity has been generated by the
notion that freight in urban areas could be delivered by flying drones, it is more
likely that freight will be delivered by driving drones. Of course, all this will
be taking place within the context of a smart city where technology has been
harnessed to improve the quality of life for citizens and visitors.
Looking at this wider context, one can imagine that from a transporta-
tion point of view, a smart city would offer a range of complementary services
supported by smart phone apps, a sophisticated communication network, and
processing and analytics capability. Smart city services will be driven by a deeper
understanding of the demand for transportation and current operating condi-
tions. This will be enabled by a richer stream of data and by more sophisticated
analytics. Infrastructure-based sensors would be an integral part of the smart
city, but equally important would be the data-generation possibilities from au-
tonomous vehicles and connected vehicles. It is not difficult to imagine a smart
city the delivers a range of useful services to both citizens and visitors based on
this new understanding of what’s going on and what the needs are any given
time.
This also leads to the idea that a really smart city would be aware of what’s
going on in its surroundings as well as within the city boundaries. The sensing