2getthere’s Group Rapid Transit vehicle passes desert climate test

2getthere’s Group Rapid Tansit (GRT) autonomous vehicle has proven in a simulated desert climate that it can maintain an indoor temperature of 23˚C even in the worst scenario (52˚C outside temperature and 3% humidity). The climate test took place in the Utrecht province and is one of many tests regarding the mega-order received from United Arab Emirates earlier this year. From 2020, five vehicles will perform fully autonomous shuttle services to and from Bluewater Island in Dubai.
October 26, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

8172 2getthere’s Group Rapid Tansit (GRT) autonomous vehicle has proven in a simulated desert climate that it can maintain an indoor temperature of 23˚C even in the worst scenario (52˚C outside temperature and 3% humidity). The climate test took place in the Utrecht province and is one of many tests regarding the mega-order received from United Arab Emirates earlier this year. From 2020, five vehicles will perform fully autonomous shuttle services to and from Bluewater Island in Dubai.

GRT was subject to three tests in weather conditions such as ‘hot dry’ and ‘hot humid’ with a focus on the performance of the air conditioning system (ACS) at the vehicles maximum capacity of 24 passengers.

13 ACS has been developed in collaboration with suppliers DC Airco and Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) who used the simulation of heat management in relation to airflow within the vehicle in its design of the air conditioning. Its development has been partly financed through a 2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology research grant in which DC Airco and 2getthere have both participated.

The simulated weather conditions included extremely high temperatures and sun radiation with average peaks in the sun radiation of 1,040 Watts per square metre and peaks in temperature of 52˚C around 3.30pm. In the climatic chamber, both peaks were simulated at the same time.

The GRT’s 16 standing passengers represented 120 Watts each and eight seated passengers each represented 100 Watts were simulated by placing a 3000-Watt heat source inside the vehicle. Part of the test focused on performance during transition: the speed at which indoor conditions are brought back to the most comfortable level for passengers after the doors close and the vehicle starts its journey. The most extreme test was based on the vehicle standing still with the doors open for six minutes, but in actual circumstances much shorter stops will be sufficient to allow 24 passengers to enter the vehicle and find their seats.

According to 2getthere the test marks another step towards the operational deployment of the system, scheduled for 2019/2020.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Bentley buys up Citilabs and Orbit
    October 24, 2019
    Infrastructure software specialist Bentley Systems is continuing to expand its portfolio with its just-announced acquisition of Citilabs and Orbit Geospatial Technologies. Citilabs provides the global mobility solution CUBE and analytics package Streetlytics, while Orbit offers the Orbit GT software. Bentley CEO Greg Bentley did not reveal the size of the deal. The move will allow Streetlytics traffic data to become available through Bentley’s cloud services, to improve the quality of digital twin mod
    Read More
  • Denso to open automated vehicle technology centre in Tokyo
    November 1, 2018
    Denso is to open a facility at Haneda Airport in Tokyo in June 2020 to develop and test automated driving technologies. The company says the site will feature a building and proving ground for mobility systems research and development. It will also develop automated driving technology researched at its global R&D facility in Tokyo which opened in April. This office was developed to promote collaboration with Denso’s development partners which include automakers, universities, research institutes
    Read More
  • Significant drop in Europe’s traffic congestion mirrors economic downturn
    June 25, 2012
    Inrix, a leading international provider of traffic information and intelligent driver services, has released its latest traffic scorecard which shows that, among the 13 European nations analysed, the countries impacted the most by the European debt crisis mirror those with the largest drops in traffic congestion. Portugal (-49%), Ireland (-25%), Spain (-15%) and Italy (-12%) were among those with the largest declines last year. Despite being considered the strongest European economies, troubles across the E
    Read More
  • UAE introducing new tolling system
    August 7, 2019
    A new road tolling system is to be implemented in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Sophisticated electronic tolling technology is being installed at the four bridges, Al Maqtaa, Mussafah, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa, that connect with Abu Dhabi city. Introducing this tolling system is expected to generate an estimated US$109 million/year in revenue. This will be used to help develop transport infrastructure in Abu Dhabi so as to reduce the reliance on the road network for commuting, improving traf
    Read More

Highlighted Content