During last summer, several SINFONICA partners have worked very hard on finishing one of the project deliverables dedicated to “CCAM solutions and vulnerable users: opportunities and constraints”.

Arriva and ERTICO have prepared the document, together with inputs from other member organisations. The deliverable is one of the first report within the CCAM network that focuses on inclusion of all persons while using autonomous or connected/semi-autonomous vehicles.

The first step of drafting this important report, was collecting data from other CCAM pilot sites to see whether they include(d) assistance to different types of vulnerable users. A questionnaire has been drafted to collect data from 16 different CCAM services at local, national and European level. Specific features for vulnerable groups were not considered in most cases. Some of the vehicles had a ramp, but the main focus of the pilots was usually the technical functionality. This outcome shows the need of the SINFONICA project to research how vulnerabilities will be taken into account in future deployments.

Trying to understand the journey flow of a person with travel difficulties, ERTICO drafted a journey flow for different types of CCAM and travel vulnerabilities. A summary example of a journey flow would be as follows: research journey, going to the pick-up point, buying a ticket, hail vehicle, open the doors, getting in the vehicle and taking a seat, request exit, open doors and get off. Researching different types of these journey flows with different types of vehicles, assistance and vulnerabilities created a few important insights that will be researched further in different SINFONICA deliverables. These insights are:

  • Assistance: either staff present within the vehicle, at bigger hubs or a travel assistant available to help people with their journey. According to EU law, there must be an option to get travel assistance when needed and wanted. What happens if a passenger feels unsafe, has a question or other issue in an unstaffed vehicle? Button/app/virtual assistant to help.
  • Communication: staff can help when present, otherwise static screens with audio information regarding stops and change of course. At the stations and in vehicles there could also be a video column at which a traveler could get extra personal assistance and information.
  • Payment: it cannot only be via an app or online. This will exclude certain groups.
  • Technical: when will the vehicle start driving? Does everyone need to wear a seatbelt. What about people with a walker or in a wheelchair? Who opens the doors and how? What happens if a passenger blocks the doors and delays the vehicle for the other passengers on board?
  • Layout: There is a potential need for a general layout or specific features for autonomous buses or shuttles, so users become more familiar and know what to do. Similarly, such vehicles should also be signalled to other road users (especially from the front and back), when driving in autonomous mode – for example warning that it might brake sharply.

Author: Berber Dotinga (ARRIVA Netherland)