Mobility software technology company, Renovo, and engineering services consultancy, Parsons, are to collaborate on the development of solutions that will enable the deployment and scaling of commercial automated mobility-on-demand (AMoD) systems.
The new AMoD systems are designed to manage an entire transportation ecosystem made possible by ride hailing, highly automated vehicles (HAV), next-generation intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and other technologies that are now commercially available. While these individual innovations have been evolving at a rapid pace in the last few years, the AMoD system envisioned by Renovo and Parsons will be the first to anticipate and capitalize on the combined impacts these technologies will have on 21st century urban infrastructure.
The collaboration will center on two best-in-class transportation platforms already deployed separately by the two companies. Parsons’ Intelligent NETworks (iNET) Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) is already in operation in more than 20 metropolitan areas around the world, providing agencies with the information and communications backbone needed to integrate new technologies into their regional transportation networks. Renovo’s AWare automated mobility operating system (AMOS) provides the data orchestration necessary to manage automation technologies, passenger services, vehicle navigation, and sensors that capture real-time data that is critical to managing urban infrastructure and coordinating public services.
The partners believe that a combination of an established, proven regional ATMS platform and the leading AMOS will allow for a safe and cost-effective means for cities to scale up their transportation infrastructure. Parsons and Renovo have already begun work on a concept of operations that will articulate how their solution can work across multiple use cases, and are vetting opportunities to launch an AMoD deployment in 2018.
“Vehicle automation will make the biggest impact when applied to fleets of shared vehicles; this is the true value of AMoD. Bringing this to market requires a wide range of components to handle fleet management, logistics, security, and many other functions,” said Christopher Heiser, Renovo’s CEO. “Parsons is a global leader in developing, upgrading and transforming urban transportation systems, and iNET provides an important link to the smart cities where AMoD will help transform urban transportation. This unique collaboration draws on Parsons’ expertise to accelerate the scale deployment of AMoD fleets around the world.”
Mike Johnson, Parsons Group president, added, “Combining our knowledge of transportation facilities and operations with Renovo’s Aware AMOS will allow us to develop the physical and digital infrastructure cities need to manage their intermodal ecosystems as AMoD emerges as a life-changing new mode.”
