Detailed description of project
The project proposed and name “TIARA” is about tackling the problem of forecasting traffic congestions and making recommendations for optimal routes for car drivers, while delivering the “forecast message” using augmented reality technology. It is true that online maps and navigational tools already suggest the time that one needs to arrive at a destination, providing information about current traffic, alternative routes and estimated time of arrival. This information is critical for both many citizen groups, including work commuters and supply chain / logistics related business drivers. However, this information is available to the interested parties based only at “current” data. Half an hour, or an hour later, the situation may be completely different and possibly too late for someone to change route plan.
This project explores the opportunity behind the big amount of data from various sources (radars, cameras, weather, public transport, etc.), stored into data hubs and deploying machine learning algorithms, to derive predictions for traffic. Traffic prediction is about forecasting the volume and density of traffic flow, for the purpose of managing the movement of vehicles, to reduce congestion and recommend optimal routes. TIARA aims to address UC1 “Traffic flow prediction & parking prediction” for the Pilot #2 “Human-Centred Twin Smart Cities Living Lab” which is conducted at Jätkäsaari harbour in Helsinki, Finland. The Jätkäsaari area is one of the most congested in the city of Helsinki. It is a former island that has been connected to the mainland through a single landfill and a bridge of cars. The area is also the home to the major port facility of Helsinki, where all the passenger car ferries traveling between the cities of Helsinki and Tallinn converge. The port itself serves both passengers and cargo traffic and is considered to be one of the busiest international traffic connectors in Europe, serving around 4.1 million passengers annually (2020 data source).
The traffic congestion and the ongoing construction of the new residential and office buildings within the area of Jätkäsaari harbour has lately worsened the situation of the pedestrians. At the same time, the increased volumes of the public transport options have not adequately resolved the major challenges faced by passengers travelling from / towards the port. These challenges are faced by the Port of Helsinki (owned by the City) which manages the Jätkäsaari port. To address the problem of traffic inefficiency in the Jätkäsaari area, a number of equipment has been installed and setup, generating large volumes of data: sensors including radars sending real-time information about vehicle positions, cameras monitoring the movement of vehicles, signal controllers as well as lidars. All these attribute to a smart living lab used to test bed and validate solutions that can address the traffic issues in Jätkäsaari.
Type and scope of work provided
TIARA aims to include data from diverse data sources, that is maps, traffic information, weather, public transportation as well as road conditions, and then generate predictions for optical routes for drivers within a mobile application, based on machine learning algorithms. The vision is that end users (drivers) will be able to use their smartphone to view in an Augmented Reality friendly way, alternative optimal routes (i.e., routes with less traffic and more parking spaces). TIARA will address specifically the requirements scenarios identified as REQ_SC1_F05, REQ_SC1_F06.
