Transport planning solutions provider PTV Group has announced a technology partnership agreement with Forum8 the specialist developer of photo-realistic 3D virtual reality software.
The new partnership brings together Forum8’s real-time interactive 3D VR simulation and modelling software, VR-Design Studio (aka UC-win/Road) used throughout the world by urban and transport planning authorities, with PTV Vissim, the industry’s most advanced and flexible traffic simulation software.
VR Design Studio is used to create 3D virtual reality models of the target urban network that can be seamlessly imported into the PTV solution. Data of the driven vehicle is passed from VR-Design Studio to the software in real time in which the traffic simulation calculations are made.
The results of these calculations are then reflected in interactive 3D by VR-Design Studio with the surrounding vehicles and traffic signals to accurately visualise the simulated traffic patterns in the VR cityscape and road network. Completed micro-simulation analysis scenarios can then be viewed in 3D and discussed interactively by the relevant stakeholders and planning authorities in a networked environment or via Forum8’s Cloud platform.
In addition to working to improve urban mobility and the transport landscape the combination of the PTV Group and Forum8 software, will also help cities, companies and communities save time and money, enhance road safety and minimise the impact on the environment of noise pollution and CO2 emissions.
“The availability of the VR Design Studio API significantly enhances the functionality of PTV Vissim and enables mobility and transport consultants to present all stakeholders with a traffic impact assessment in an interactive 3D VR representation of their built environment,” says Dr Brendan Hafferty, western general manager for Forum8. “This is a major and growing requirement across the world as cities and countries work towards improving the problem of traffic congestion as well as meeting their de-carbonisation targets. We are looking forward to working closely with PTV to jointly promote the new partnership to existing and future users of each other’s technology.”
“Decision makers expect realistic visualizations of future infrastructure changes,” says Dr Jochen Lohmiller, product manager for PTV Group “We are glad to partner with Forum8 to bring PTVs realistic vehicle and pedestrian movements into Forum8s 3D VR visualization of cityscapes and road networks.”
