It’s a wonder how ICT technologies can help perform better in just about every aspect of life, starting with the way travel and ccommunting. While driving a car can be a wonderful experience, driving a vehicle with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) means enjoying far better comfort and safety. However, that is exactly what the Taipei government hopes to achieve: a top-notch riding experience for its people.
It’s definitely a move towards better service towards its people. In compliance with the Executive Yuan’s plan to replace city buses with electric counterparts by 2030 and to improve the quality of living by adding low carbon emission vehicles with less noise, the Taipei city government began adding new electric buses to its fleet of public buses starting 2018. What makes the new addition of buses remarkable is that they’re all equipped with ADAS — giving superior comfort to the public where they need it most.
Currently, a total of 58 electric buses serve major city bus routes including routes 66, Heping Line, 236 limited, 251 limited, and 307. After receiving positive feedback from commuters, the city government announced that it will allocate 20 more buses to the operation of route 620 the year. All in all, that should total 78 electric buses serving the Taiwanese riding public.
The Public Transportation Office (PTO) pointed out that route 620 includes stops at major attractions such as Taipei Children’s Amusement Park, National Taiwan Science Education Center, and 9 MRT stations along the Tamsui-Xinyi and Wenhu lines, and various locations across Nangang and Neihu districts. It is also an important transportation option for students attending schools such as Yangming High School, Taibei Senior High School, Soochow University, and Neihu Senior High School. The route serves an average of 2 million commuters each year.
The new electric-powered vehicles allocated to route 620 will be based at the special terminal in Beitou-shilin Technology Corridor which comes equipped with smart charging facilities. The buses also come with an installed ADAS system, offering functions such as:
- Vehicle collision warning
- Pedestrian collision warning
- Vehicle-to-vehicle distance monitoring
- Overspeed warning
Many people today may not be as familiar with the term ADAS, though in cars these days, ADAS is a likely option, if not pre-installed already. Of note, Taiwan is set to be a premier hub to supply microchips for ADAS vehicles in the future, as reported earlier by OpenGov Asia.
At its core, ADAS uses ICT. It’s a combination of a slew of emerging technologies. These systems make the most of cameras, LiDAR, radar, vehicle-to-person communication and GPS and digital mapping data. The more sophisticated the system, the greater the reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The goal is to automate driving and improve travel safety.
However, not all ADAS are created equal. To date, there are 5 levels depending on automation. The most sophisticated is level 5 but most ADAS right now are on level 1 or 2 only.
- Level 0 = No Driving Automation (manual)
- Level 1 Driving Automation = Driver Assistance
- Level 2 Driving Automation = Partial Driving Automation
- Level 3 Driving Automation = Conditional Driving Automation
- Level 4 Driving Automation = High Driving Automation
- Level 5 Driving Automation = Full Driving Automation
Taiwan is determined to harness ICT for the future. As the chips breadbasket of the world, not only is the country set to make the most of ADAS in the future but it’s also to win big as the planet prioritises clean energy and electric vehicles become the norm, as reported on OpenGov Asia.
