National UK research hub TransiT, which focus on decarbonising transport using digital twins, is simulating zero carbon transport along the M1 motorway.
TransiT researcher at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Alex Foote, is leading the research in collaboration with air freight specialists at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire.
International logistics company, DHL, is also helping via providing data from some of its UK fleet of around 6,500 trucks and vans for the research.
This represents the UK’s first simulation of a delivery truck’s journey from London to East Midlands Airport, utilising computer simulations to model scenarios through a technique called agent-based modelling (ABM).
Reportedly, this simulates how individual agents – like drivers and vehicles – interact with each other and their environment, and the impacts these interactions can have on the wider transport system.
These models can identify the changes needed to ensure logistics companies remain reliable and profitable – including where vehicle charging points should be located, at what speed they should charge, and which mix of vehicles would be most effective for fleets.
The researchers say their analysis focuses on an area of zero emission logistics that hasn’t been explored before and describe their work as a first for the UK.
TransiT researcher, Dr. Alex Foote, said: “Our goal at TransiT is to identify the fastest, lowest-cost routes to transport decarbonisation, so our agents get better scores if their trucks find shorter routes that reduce the time and cost of their journeys.
“This might mean they favour charging at the depot before starting their journey, during wait times between jobs, so they don’t have to stop en route. Or if it’s a long route, they might have to charge at a service station along the way.
“The great advantage of agent-based models is that the agents can tell us what the best solution is.”
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