Enhancing integration of automated shuttles to urban transport – Experiences from field tests and simulations

Automated shuttles have the potential to enhance last-mile mobility and improve access to public transport. However, their still relatively low speeds pose challenges to their integration into the present mobility system. In the test area in Tampere, Finland, an automated shuttle operated as part of the public transport services operated partly on a shared lane with a tram, causing delays to the tram. To mitigate this issue, a tram warning application was developed and tested. The application notified the safety operator of the shuttle to wait at a bus stop until the tram had passed. The research employed two methods: a field test and traffic simulations. When the shuttle operated without the tram warning system, travel times of the tram increased both in the field and in the simulations. However, the tram warning application successfully mitigated this delay, restoring the tram's travel time to baseline levels in both low and high-demand conditions. This study highlights the potential of simple technological interventions to enhance the integration of automated shuttles into the existing urban transport system while ensuring the reliability of core public transport network.