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Recent Advances and Emerging Technologies in Transportation and Urban Planning

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Transportation and Future Mobility".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 7315

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: transportation systems; sustainable urban mobility; active modes; travel behaviour; transportation environmental impacts; econometric analysis in transportation; discrete choice modeling in transportation; technological diffusion; spatial analysis of transport activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The emergence of novel technologies applicable in vehicles, transport, and urban infrastructures promises a new era of urban living, significantly enhancing the quality of life in our cities. These innovations bring forth a myriad of benefits, notably, in reducing pollution, promoting shared mobility, bolstering public transportation, optimizing urban road space, and leveraging truly intelligent infrastructures. All of these elements play pivotal roles in realizing Smart Cities, in which the well-being of residents takes center stage.

For instance, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication systems enable seamless interactions between vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure, including traffic lights and road sensors; meanwhile, simultaneously, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication facilitates real-time data exchange among vehicles (including two-wheelers). These technologies empower cities to streamline traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance road safety, consequently contributing to cleaner air and improved overall well-being. In addition, the rise of shared mobility represents another pivotal aspect of urban life enhancement, by potentially diminishing the number of privately owned vehicles on streets and alleviating traffic congestion. Finally, the variable allocation of urban road space (whether intermittent or dynamic) is an intelligent approach that could potentially optimize the utilization of urban space. By leveraging real-time data from pedestrian and road traffic, potentially complemented by V2I and V2V systems, cities can dynamically adjust traffic signals and lane functions to accommodate demand that varies over time. Adaptive road use strategies can maximize the utilization of existing urban space via more sustainable modes, leading to an overall improvement in urban well-being.

At the heart of these advancements, there are truly intelligent infrastructures equipped with sensors and data analytics capabilities. They empower cities to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, traffic management, and environmental sustainability. Smart Cities can leverage these infrastructures to enhance residents' quality of life by optimizing public services, reducing energy consumption, and providing safer and more convenient urban experiences.

This Special Issue aims to delve into the transformative potential of emerging technologies in vehicles, transportation, and urban infrastructures, and analyze how urban space can be reallocated for non-motorised uses. Authors are invited to submit original manuscripts on topics including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Smart cities and smart logistics;
  • Urban technologies, active modes and the urban environment;
  • Vehicle sharing and the urban environment;
  • Automated vehicles and the urban environment;
  • V2I and V2V in urban environments;
  • Dynamic allocation of urban road space;
  • Intermittent bus lanes;
  • Sensing urban mobility and other uses;
  • Artificial intelligence, machine learning and urban mobility analytics.

Dr. Filipe Moura
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • emerging technologies
  • urban mobility
  • urban space
  • connectivity
  • automation
  • sensors
  • smart cities

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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38 pages, 10570 KiB  
Article
GAN-Based Generation of Synthetic Data for Vehicle Driving Events
by Diego Tamayo-Urgilés, Sandra Sanchez-Gordon, Ángel Leonardo Valdivieso Caraguay and Myriam Hernández-Álvarez
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(20), 9269; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14209269 - 11 Oct 2024
Viewed by 756
Abstract
Developing solutions to reduce traffic accidents requires experimentation and much data. However, due to confidentiality issues, not all datasets used in previous research are publicly available, and those that are available may be insufficient for research. Building datasets with real data is costly. [...] Read more.
Developing solutions to reduce traffic accidents requires experimentation and much data. However, due to confidentiality issues, not all datasets used in previous research are publicly available, and those that are available may be insufficient for research. Building datasets with real data is costly. Given this reality, this paper proposes a procedure to generate synthetic data sequences of driving events using the Time series GAN (TimeGAN) and Real-world time series (RTSGAN) frameworks. First, a 15-feature driving event dataset is constructed with real data, which forms the basis for generating datasets using the two mentioned frameworks. The generated datasets are evaluated using the qualitative metrics PCA and T-SNE, as well as the discriminative and predictive score quantitative metrics defined in TimeGAN. The generated synthetic data are then used in an unsupervised algorithm to identify clusters representing vehicle crash risk levels. Next, the generated data are used in a supervised classification algorithm to predict risk level categories. Comparison results between the data generated by TimeGAN and RTSGAN show that the data generated by RTSGAN achieve better scores than the the data generated with TimeGAN. On the other hand, we demonstrate that the use of datasets trained with synthetic data to train a supervised classification model for predicting the level of accident risk can obtain accuracy comparable to that of models that use datasets with only real data in their training, proving the usefulness of the generated data. Full article
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17 pages, 474 KiB  
Article
Unraveling the Influence of Perceived Built Environment on Commute Mode Choice Based on Hybrid Choice Model
by Huan Lu and Hongcheng Gan
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 7921; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14177921 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 623
Abstract
To address the limitations of existing studies on the built environment and commute mode choice, which primarily focus on the objective and residential built environment, this study investigates how commuters’ perceptions of the built environment at their residences and workplaces influence their choice [...] Read more.
To address the limitations of existing studies on the built environment and commute mode choice, which primarily focus on the objective and residential built environment, this study investigates how commuters’ perceptions of the built environment at their residences and workplaces influence their choice of commuting mode. First, six latent variables are proposed to characterize the perceived built environment. Then, commuters’ socio-economic and commuting characteristics are treated as exogenous variables. Subsequently, the influence of the perceived built environment on commute mode choice is analyzed using both a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model without latent variables and a Hybrid Choice Model (HCM) incorporating variables related to the perceived built environment. Finally, a case study conducted in Shanghai reveals that the goodness-of-fit value of the HCM improves by approximately 27.4% compared to that of the MNL, indicating that the perceived built environment plays a significant role in explaining commute mode choice. Furthermore, commuters’ socio-economic profiles, commuting characteristics, and perceptions of the built environment all significantly influence their commute mode choices. The perceived built environment at residences has a stronger impact on commute mode choice than that at workplaces. Among the various commute modes of driving, cycling, walking, and public transit, the perceived built environment most significantly influences public transit usage. Based on these findings, several policy implications are offered, providing decision-making support for urban planning and traffic management authorities. Full article
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22 pages, 18715 KiB  
Article
Urban Vulnerability Assessment of Sea Level Rise in Singapore through the World Avatar
by Shin Zert Phua, Kok Foong Lee, Yi-Kai Tsai, Srishti Ganguly, Jingya Yan, Sebastian Mosbach, Trina Ng, Aurel Moise, Benjamin P. Horton and Markus Kraft
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 7815; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14177815 - 3 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1500
Abstract
This paper explores the application of The World Avatar (TWA) dynamic knowledge graph to connect isolated data and assess the impact of rising sea levels in Singapore. Current sea level rise vulnerability assessment tools are often regional, narrow in scope (e.g., economic or [...] Read more.
This paper explores the application of The World Avatar (TWA) dynamic knowledge graph to connect isolated data and assess the impact of rising sea levels in Singapore. Current sea level rise vulnerability assessment tools are often regional, narrow in scope (e.g., economic or cultural aspects only), and are inadequate in representing complex non-geospatial data consistently. We apply TWA to conduct a multi-perspective impact assessment of sea level rise in Singapore, evaluating vulnerable buildings, road networks, land plots, cultural sites, and populations. We introduce OntoSeaLevel, an ontology to describe sea level rise scenarios, and its impact on broader elements defined in other ontologies such as buildings (OntoBuiltEnv ontology), road networks (OpenStreetMap ontology), and land plots (Ontoplot and Ontozoning ontology). We deploy computational agents to synthesise data from government, industry, and other publicly accessible sources, enriching buildings with metadata such as property usage, estimated construction cost, number of floors, and gross floor area. An agent is applied to identify and instantiate the impacted sites using OntoSeaLevel. These sites include vulnerable buildings, land plots, cultural sites, and populations at risk. We showcase these sea level rise vulnerable elements in a unified visualisation, demonstrating TWA’s potential as a planning tool against sea level rise through vulnerability assessment, resource allocation, and integrated spatial planning. Full article
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17 pages, 1558 KiB  
Article
Perceived Accessibility: Impact of Social Factors and Travel Modes in Melbourne’s West
by Hing-Wah Chau, Eric Gaisie, Elmira Jamei, Melissa Chan and Katrin Lättman
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(15), 6399; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14156399 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1079
Abstract
Accessibility is commonly defined and operationalised through objective measurements, such as travel time and physical distance to destinations; however, there is a lack of empirical studies capturing perceived accessibility from individual perspectives. With the aim of sustainable transport for inclusive communities, it is [...] Read more.
Accessibility is commonly defined and operationalised through objective measurements, such as travel time and physical distance to destinations; however, there is a lack of empirical studies capturing perceived accessibility from individual perspectives. With the aim of sustainable transport for inclusive communities, it is crucial to investigate the impact of socio-economy and travel mode on perceived accessibility and key driving factors of perceived safety and service quality. Through the collection of primary data from one of the fastest-growing suburbs in Melbourne, this study examined variation of perceptions towards accessibility, safety, and service quality among diverse social groups and travellers using different modes of transport. The findings of this study would assist transport planners in making informed decisions in creating inclusive transport networks that can improve community health and well-being. Full article
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Review

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34 pages, 3395 KiB  
Review
Synergies and Potential of Industry 4.0 and Automated Vehicles in Smart City Infrastructure
by Michal Kaššaj and Tomáš Peráček
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3575; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093575 - 24 Apr 2024
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2058
Abstract
The integration of Industry 4.0 and automated vehicles into the smart cities concept is a topical issue in the urbanization of cities and technological innovation within cities. As it is a relatively modern issue, many aspects of this field have not yet been [...] Read more.
The integration of Industry 4.0 and automated vehicles into the smart cities concept is a topical issue in the urbanization of cities and technological innovation within cities. As it is a relatively modern issue, many aspects of this field have not yet been explored; as a consequence, this paper is concerned with the search for synergies between Industry 4.0 and automated vehicles in smart city infrastructures. There is a lack of contributions in this field that summarize these synergies in a single article and address a wide range of aspects, including transport, energy, communication, and citizen participation. As the field lacks a complete and clear summary of what is already known, which would help multiple stakeholders, the authors decided to conduct this review. The article elucidates the above-stated aspects through a clear and in-depth literature review, which is complemented by specific examples from practice. Of course, the article also includes a description of the synergy potential and the impact on the inhabitants, the environment, and, last but not least, on the overall city life. The main hypothesis of this article is that the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and automated vehicles within smart city infrastructure will result in significant improvements in transportation efficiency, resource utilization, and overall urban sustainability. The article discusses the positives and negatives of such integration, highlighting, on the one hand, the benefits in terms of reducing environmental impact and improving citizens’ quality of life, but on the other hand, also highlighting the various ethical, legal, and social issues that such integrations may bring. Several methods have been used within the article, namely analysis, synthesis, comparison, and historical interpretation. The final discussion highlights the benefits, as well as the challenges, that such integration faces and must deal with if it is to be successful. It can be concluded that the synergistic potential of automated vehicles and Industry 4.0 in smart city infrastructure is enormous and that such integration offers promising solutions for enhancing transportation efficiency, energy management, and overall urban sustainability. It is also highlighted in the article that, in order to reap the benefits of such synergies, a wide-ranging collaboration of policymakers, industry stakeholders, and urban planners is needed. Full article
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