Conical Systems, a Dutch company focused on shared mobility, is developing a new type of micro car: Swing. This research focuses on deploying 5G technology to remotely monitor and control the vehicle.
Duration
May – November 2023
Partners (TU Delft)
Do IoT Fieldlab, TU Delft, The Green Village
Partners (other)
Conical Systems, Tyndall, Bondi, TNO, MCS, SURF, Unmanned Valley
For such short distances, shared mobility can provide a solution. However, bicycles, pedelecs and scooters offer few options for carrying luggage and provide no shelter in bad conditions. Therefore, Conical Systems conceived a prototype electric microcar, which is allowed to travel on the bike path at a maximum speed of 25 km per hour: Swing.
To ensure that Swing is available at the right spot, it can be directed remotely to, for example, a charging or pick-up point. The underlying idea is for the provider to respond flexibly to the traveler’s needs with a limited number of vehicles. In addition, tests are also being conducted with a self-driving system.
5G is crucial
Conical Systems plans to use 5G for the data transfer from Swing to an operator and the transfer of commands from the operator back to the vehicle. In the testing phase, various factors that may affect the stability of data transmission are being studied. These include driving speed, power, the distance between the microcar and the 5G installation, the influence of surrounding buildings on the network signal and the exact location of the antenna on the vehicle.
Using Do IoT field lab’s 5G facilities, Conical Systems can safely test drive a Swing prototype in a demarcated environment on the TU Delft campus. Accurate remote control of Swing requires lightning-fast data transfer. 5G’s low delay (latency) is essential in this respect. After completing the research, Conical Systems aims to add Swing to its existing portfolio in the European market.