The development of a ‘digital twin’ of roads across the UK is set to accelerate following a collaboration between TRL and Gaist. The twin could revolutionize how the road network is planned and managed.
The partnership will see Gaist and TRL work together to solve global road challenges, shape the road asset data and standards landscape, and explore the potential of advanced applications for road data. They will also examine the role of road data in supporting more efficient, greener and safer transport infrastructure.
A digital twin could play a vital role in managing road repairs, prioritizing investments and interventions, and reducing delays and disruption for road-users. It would also help planners and policymakers to better understand the useful lifetime of an asset and the demands it is likely to face. Further, it could support predictions around how city transport systems can respond to multiple different challenges.
As part of the collaboration, Gaist will join TRL’s Smart Mobility Living Lab: London – the lab developed by TRL with partners from government and industry to enable innovative mobility organizations to test new products and services safely on live public roads.
“This important alignment between two domain experts marks a milestone in the global application and exploitation of detailed, high-definition roads data,” says Andrew Loveless, Gaist CRO. “Together with TRL, we will present the ‘best of British’ in asset data capture and asset management systems to international customers and work together to push forward our industry and promote UK exports abroad.”
“This collaboration underlines TRL’s commitment to work with innovative digitally-orientated organizations to shape the future of road asset management and wider transport, both globally and here in the UK,” says Ryan Hood, head of digitisation of transport at TRL. “The advanced thinking and ambition that Gaist demonstrates, alongside the provision of new data sources and insights, mirrors our own thinking about the future direction of the market.”
As part of the collaboration, Gaist’s road asset data will be integrated into TRL Software’s cloud-native iROADS asset management system. This will enhance both party’s existing data products and services, to bring greater value to clients across the globe.
