Skip to main content

Electric buses serve as mobile testing platforms by Living Lab project

The Living Lab Bus joint project, coordinated VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and launched at the beginning of 2016, is using Finnish electric buses acquired by Helsinki Region Transport as tangible development and testing platforms for businesses to validate their solutions in a real use environment. The buses can be used for testing user-oriented smart services and technologies, ranging from user interfaces and passenger services to sensors and transport operators’ solutions. VTT says the goa
March 3, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The Living Lab Bus joint project, coordinated 814 VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and launched at the beginning of 2016, is using Finnish electric buses acquired by 6995 Helsinki Region Transport as tangible development and testing platforms for businesses to validate their solutions in a real use environment. The buses can be used for testing user-oriented smart services and technologies, ranging from user interfaces and passenger services to sensors and transport operators’ solutions.

VTT says the goal is to create a new type of everyday development environment for accelerating the product development of businesses by means of agile experiments, in close cooperation with end-users and research institutions. Potential new solutions include easy-to-use passenger feedback solutions, automated passenger counting, and automated road condition observations.

In addition to the Helsinki region, the City of Tampere is also participating in the project, exploiting the results in its own public transport development.

The project supports the creation of new services for transport service users and providers; the business operations of companies are promoted by accelerating the cost-effective introduction of new solutions. The Living Lab Bus showcases Finnish expertise, while also increasing the attractiveness of public transport and cooperation between various players, as well as producing new research information on the needs of public transport users and service developers.

Identifying utilisation interests and needs of various players associated with implementing and using the development platform and setting some common rules for the operations are scheduled for spring 2016. After that, the project will be expanded by bringing in new players, who will utilise the platform in their development activities.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Software is at heart of safe vehicle connectivity, says Qt Group
    September 15, 2023
    Connected vehicle safety isn’t just under threat from malicious actors exploiting code – it’s also about avoiding software faults that could result in harm to people, says Patrick Shelly of Qt Group
  • Queensland gets the message with ST Engineering
    August 29, 2024
    Train traveller information and passenger announcements enabled via Agil system
  • All aboard Australia’s newest electric bus
    July 8, 2015
    Working in partnership with BusTech, Swinburne University of Technology has helped develop the first electric bus to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia. The first concept demonstrator bus was unveiled at the Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo in Melbourne. According to Pro vice-chancellor, International Research Engagement, Professor Ajay Kapoor, the research and development has involved solving the challenges of integrating electric vehicle technologies using computer-aided engi
  • UK project aims to enable local authorities to control city vehicle emissions
    August 8, 2017
    UK Centre of Excellence for low carbon technologies Cenex has joined Leeds City Council to announce the launch of Project ACCRA, a collaboration between the council, Cenex, Transport Systems Catapult, Earthsense, Dynniq and Tevva Motors. The project will showcase smart city technology applications that demonstrate real-time emissions control, using live air quality data to trigger electric hybrid engines to automatically switch to zero-emission running in heavily polluted areas. The project will be demonstr