03/04/2022 | Press release | Archived content
In this post we will look at some specific IoT applications in transportation from the Digi collection of customer success stories, such as Positive Train Control (PTC), vehicle analytics, ticketing systems, transit system security and high-speed passenger Wi-Fi.
As a result of these advances, IoT solutions for transportation meet a growing range of needs, in a variety of operating conditions. Some of th key transportation IoT use cases today include the following:
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), also called Smart Traffic Management Systems (STMS), do this by connecting sensors, cameras and other traffic monitoring technology with traffic control systems such as traffic lights, dynamic messages boards and in-vehicle communication and warning systems.
Here are some of the problems that IoT for traffic management can address:
Here are some of the use cases that successfully incorporate IoT for traffic management.
New York City is one of the most dense urban environments in the world, with traffic signals located at thousands of intersections. All of these signals need to be coordinated in real time to provide a smooth, safe flow of traffic at all hours of the day or night in the "city that never sleeps."
When New York recently needed to upgrade connectivity on more than 14,000 traffic signals, it chose Digi WR54 dual cellular routers for use at each intersection, along with the Digi Remote Manager® platform for device configuration and management. Once deployed, the city's Department of Transportation was recognized as the Outstanding ITS Project of the Year - Traffic Management Systems by the Intelligent Transportation Society of New York (ITS-NY) for the project. The New York City Wireless Infrastructure Network (NYCWIN) provides a citywide communication backbone to all ITS devices, including traffic cameras, variable message signs (VMS), vehicle detection devices and more.
FirstNet® is a nationwide wireless network that delivers priority, pre-emptive communications for first responders and critical infrastructure in case of a large-scale emergency, such as a hurricane, wildfire or other event that affects an entire city or region.
FirstNet Ready™ devices such as the Digi WR54 cellular routers that were used in New York's infrastructure project, as well as the new Digi TX54, help ensure critical voice, text and data communications whenever a spike in civilian cell phone use could jam cellular networks, preventing dispatchers and first responders from communicating with each other.
IoT solutions are used in a multitude of transit applications for bus, light rail and paratransit. IoT applications can be used for multiple systems:
These applications are enabled by the ultra-compact Digi ConnectCore® system-on-module (SOM), which supports TransData connectivity requirements at an affordable price. The Digi ConnectCore® 6 can withstand punishing conditions such as extreme heat, humidity and vibration while maintaining reliable network connectivity.
The Detroit-based Suburban Mobility Authority for Rapid Transit (SMART) operates a metro bus fleet of 330 biodiesel and hybrid-electric buses covering more than 1,100 route miles and carrying 32,000 riders daily. With this large fleet, it is critical to monitor the vehicles in order to ensure the highest levels of passenger safety and on-time performance.
SMART needed to upgrade an aging Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) / Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, which was built on a legacy analog radio network connected via three leased towers. SMART first considered migrating from analog to digital and increasing the number of towers, but that approach was cost-prohibitive. Ultimately SMART switched to VOIP on cellular for CAD, taking advantage of the packet priority services built into the Digi WR44 R mobile cellular router (as well as its successor, the Digi TX54).
With its switch to a cellular-based AVL, SMART can now collect and analyze a much wider range of data and metrics - including vehicle location and speed - in real-time. Maintenance data is also captured to help prevent breakdowns and accelerate repair cycles. Data is transmitted to the transit operations center through a highly secure VPN tunnel, while operators can communicate with Central Dispatch using VoIP handsets. Thanks to these upgrades and enhancements, the SMART team estimates that they are saving over $70,000 per year.
As the world's auto industry shifts over to electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming decades, a dense infrastructure of EV charging stations will grow along with the fleet of new electric cars, buses and trucks. IoT is essential in enabling our EV infrastructure to scale up to meet the demand. We can expect to see EV charging stations built along every major highway. Workplaces, apartment complexes and shopping and entertainment venues will be retrofitted to offer convenient vehicle charging.
EV charging stations will require IoT connectivity for a range of functions. IoT applications will be used to inform drivers who are who are seeking the location of a charging station, to communicate with charging system owners or managers and, of course, for billing and payment purposes. Digi embedded systems will be at the heart of many of these applications.
AddÉnergie, a company based in Quebec, Canada, develops, manufactures and operates EV charging stations for public and private sector markets, including infrastructure for the two largest charging networks in Canada, VERnetwork™ and the Electric Circuit. AddÉnergie provides EV drivers and charging station owners with access control, energy management and payment services, including an application to send emails to notify drivers when charging is complete. The solution also provides a preventative maintenance capability for operators, allowing them to monitor every charging station, and in some cases, fix problems remotely.
AddÉnergie selected Digi technology, including Digi XBee® wireless modules and cellular gateways, for its ability to "communicate in a busy, urban environment." The solution helps provide a seamless user experience and also allows network providers to easily monitor all activity.
Reborn Electric, an engineering company based in Santiago, Chile, takes diesel-powered buses that have reached the end of their service life and retrofits them with battery-powered electric motors. Converting to zero-emission electric power is a "green tech" solution that greatly extends the life of the vehicles while reducing air pollution in the city. To modernize the vehicles' onboard electronics, Reborn selected the Digi ConnectCore single board computer (SBC), which provides telemetry to monitor vehicle routes, track power consumption and gather data for predictive maintenance.
The Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which provides light rail, subway and bus service in and around Philadelphia, was one of the first transit systems to install Positive Train Control (PTC), a sophisticated train-signaling system designed to prevent crashes, derailments and track worker injuries resulting from speed and signal violations.
SEPTA worked with Digi to deploy the right connectivity solution for PTC:
Locomotives and other vehicles use the Digi WR44 RR to relay PTC data messages to and from waysides via 220 MHz radio. The Digi WR44 RR (and its successor, Digi TX64 5G Rail) enables remote system maintenance, configuration and network management over a cellular link, providing increased network reliability and rail system visibility. The SEPTA system extends performance beyond PTC toward full Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), resulting in more efficient scheduling, greater capacity and fuel savings.