Fleet management algorithms for autonomous vehicles

This project will develop fleet management algorithms for planning and operation of autonomous vehicles to be integrated in a software platform and cooperate with existing transport systems.

The main outcomes of this project are algorithms for planning and operation of a fleet of autonomous vehicles. The algorithms should be efficient enough to be applicable in real time operations, provide cost and risk minimal solutions, and integrate the fleet of autonomous vehicle to the existing public transport system of cities.

The project will be carried out by the Urban Transport Systems Laboratory (LUTS) of Prof. Nikolas Geroliminis. LUTS has extensive experiences in modeling, monitoring, control and logistic operations of complex transport systems. The project is realized in partnership with BestMile, a start-up co-founded by two EPFL engineers, expert in software development, mobile application development, and operation of autonomous vehicles. The other partner is CarPostal, an entity of the Swiss Post, the leading bus company in Switzerland’s public transport network. The project is developped in the context of the Mobility Lab Sion-Valais.

This research project will last two years and is supported by the Commission for Technology and Innovation. Alongside the CTI project, Swiss Post and BestMile will operate a fleet of two autonomous vehicles in the city of Sion during two years to test the algorithms developed by the laboratory. The CTI is therefore part of a much broader project which aims to prepare the commercialization of autonomous vehicles in Switzerland and abroad. The developed algorithms will be able to operate efficiently for hundreds of autonomous vehicles in larger networks and with larger demands.

Presse release (23.6.2016)

Press release (4.11.2015)

Principal investigator Prof. Nikolas Geroliminis
Sponsor Commission for Technology and Innovation
Period 2015-2017
Laboratory LUTS
External collaborations BestMile, Swiss Post Ltd