We know that the existing urban transport systems based on the private vehicle (necessarily relying mostly on fossil fuels) are not sustainable in terms of energy and land needs. On the other hand, public transportation systems are also not very efficient and do not provide a good service anywhere and anytime. Over the last twenty years, a new concept has emerged through strong cooperation between researchers, automotive companies, suppliers and transit operators. It is the concept of co-modal systems. This means well-designed systems that will combine the use of various transportation modes and in particular the individual vehicles and the mass transit systems. A key element of such a system is the Cybernetic Transportation Systems (CTS), which are based on fully automated urban vehicles. This paper will present these CTS and how they have emerged through a European collaborative approach. These environmental-friend
ly novel systems offer far-reaching solutions that will drastically mitigate or solve the problems that we encounter in current urban transportation systems. They will yield much more effective organization of the urban mobility, with a more rational use of motorized traffic; less congestion, pollution noise and CO\u2082 emissions and better accessibility and safety. The result will be a higher quality of living, an enhanced integration with the spatial and also societal development and advancement towards sustainability.
We know that the existing urban transport systems based on the private vehicle (necessarily relying mostly on fossil fuels) are not sustainable in terms of energy and land needs. On the other hand, public transportation systems are also not very efficient and do not provide a good service anywhere and anytime. Over the last twenty years, a new concept has emerged through strong cooperation between researchers, automotive companies, suppliers and transit operators. It is the concept of co-modal systems. This means well-designed systems that will combine the use of various transportation modes and in particular the individual vehicles and the mass transit systems. A key element of such a system is the Cybernetic Transportation Systems (CTS), which are based on fully automated urban vehicles. This paper will present these CTS and how they have emerged through a European collaborative approach. These environmental-friendly novel systems offer far-reaching solutions that will drastically mitigate or solve the problems that we encounter in current urban transportation systems. They will yield much more effective organization of the urban mobility, with a more rational use of motorized traffic; less congestion, pollution noise and CO\u2082 emissions and better accessibility and safety. The result will be a higher quality of living, an enhanced integration with the spatial and also societal development and advancement towards sustainability.
