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Hacks & Whys


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Evidence of Work

ZEVi

Project Info

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Team Name


Hacks & Whys


Team Members


Pri , Nat , Alyssa and 3 other members with unpublished profiles.

Project Description


Team Name

Hacks and Whys

Team Members

Alyssa Libed, Joyanne Coca, Manjot Kaur, Manuel Martinez, Nannisa Pattaranansit, Pricila Yessayan (Team Leader)

Challenge Addressed

Smart Mobility: Optimizing Urban Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future

Project Description: ZEVi: Smart Mobility

Project Name Inspiration:

“ZEV” stands for Zero Emission Vehicle

“Vi” represents Victoria

“i" symbolizes Internet

Problem Statement

The state of Victoria is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, primarily targeting the transport sector. The push for sustainable transport includes goals like a significant shift to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), the addition of ZEVs to the public fleet, and promoting active transport like cycling and walking. Achieving these goals requires a more efficient public transport system, encouraging users to switch from private vehicles to public and active transport. However, the current public transport infrastructure is underutilized at certain hours, leading to unnecessary energy use and carbon emissions, particularly during off-peak times.

Project Description

This project aims to optimize urban mobility by designing a smart transportation system that uses real-time data to detect passenger behaviour, manage public transport vehicles and reduce carbon emissions. The proposed system will focus on optimizing public transport stop times by dynamically adjusting services based on user demand (e.g. using PIR Scan to detect persons waiting at platforms), creating a ride-on-demand carsharing app “ZEVi” to allow people to travel from home to train station without driving their private cars, thereby improving energy efficiency and reducing operational waste. Furthermore, the integration of ETL (Extract Transform and Load) pipelines in public transport systems will enable the collection of historical travel patterns from smart ticketing systems and mobile app usage, using AI-driven analytical tool like Spark to draw insights and inform decision-making.

Our Mission

To reduce public transport’s carbon footprint through data-driven, efficient transport scheduling, reducing dependency to private vehicles, while promoting a shift towards more sustainable urban mobility in Victoria.

Goals

  • Reduce carbon emissions by minimizing unnecessary train stops during non-peak hours.
  • Analyse travel patterns using historical data to improve public transport network planning.
  • Increase public transport use and reduce reliance on private vehicles.
  • Support Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy by contributing towards a net-zero emissions transport sector.

Data Story

Act 1: The Challenge and Goals

The primary challenge is reducing unnecessary energy consumption in the public transportation network. During off-peak hours, trains frequently stop at stations with no passengers waiting, leading to excess fuel consumption and increased emissions. By addressing this issue, we aim to improve the efficiency of the network while aligning with the Victorian Government's climate commitments.

Act 2: Data Gathering and Preparation

Data sources were collected from various datasets, including:

  • Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity
  • Government Funded Public EV Chargers
  • Whole Fleet Vehicle Registration by Postcode
  • Public transport patronage and train service passenger counts
  • Bicycle volume and infrastructure data

Data from smart ticketing systems will be leveraged to identify real-time passenger demand. ETL processes will be implemented to aggregate and prepare this data for analysis, allowing us to track travel trends, particularly during low-usage hours. The ETL pipeline, built using Spark, will ensure fast processing of large datasets for real-time decision-making.

Act 3: Index Visualization and Insights

Using historical and real-time data from the train smart ticketing systems, PTV App and ZEVi App provides visualization tools that allow stakeholders to track stop efficiency, understand passenger demand patterns, and evaluate carbon savings. These visualizations can be tailored to show demographic insights, with filters for age, location, and income level. The app will also visualize the times when public transport vehicles are stopping unnecessarily, offering detailed breakdowns of energy wastage.

Act 5: Strategic Deployment

The strategic deployment of this system involves:

  • Real-time monitoring of train stops during a pilot study in selected train stations.
  • Leveraging ETL pipelines to continuously collect and analyse smart ticketing data.
  • Integrating findings from historical data into the expansion of the train network, focusing on underserved regions.
  • Identifying train services that consistently stop without passengers (e.g., between 3:00 AM and 5:30 AM), adjusting schedules to prevent wastage.

By continuously evaluating the system’s performance, recommendations for expanding public transport infrastructure will be made. The data analysis will also inform better urban planning and transport network expansions based on real-time trends, promoting a greener future for Victoria’s transport network.

Act 6: Developing the ZEVi App

ZEVi is a revolutionary carsharing app connecting private car owners within a 10 km radius of major train stations to use ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) instead of driving and parking their own cars at the station. The app has several practical benefits and aligns with urban sustainability goals.

Rising Demand for Carsharing

Carsharing is growing in popularity worldwide, especially in urban areas where parking and congestion are major issues. There is already proven interest in carshare programs, especially for zero-emission vehicles, as people become more environmentally conscious and seek affordable alternatives to car ownership. Making ZEVs a publicly managed transport will increase the transition from private to public transport.

Technology Readiness

The technology for this type of app is already available, with real-time tracking, booking, and ride-sharing functionalities widely used in services like Uber, Lyft, and Zipcar. With existing app-based infrastructure, building a platform like ZEVi is achievable using current technology.

Support for Public Transport

The focus of ZEVi aligns well with efforts by governments and city planners to reduce congestion around train stations and promote public transportation. Reducing the number of private cars parked at train stations will also alleviate parking shortages, which is a common issue.

Behavioural Shift

Many commuters would prefer to avoid the hassle of driving and parking if they had reliable, affordable, and eco-friendly alternatives. ZEVi offers a service that fills a common gap in public transportation—the first/last-mile problem (getting from home to public transport nodes and back).

Policy Alignment

The project could easily gain support from local councils or governments in cities looking to meet their climate goals by reducing emissions from private car use. Encouraging the use of ZEVs and carsharing is an ideal way to promote greener travel, particularly if incentives such as subsidies, tax breaks, or designated carshare lanes are offered.

Reduced Carbon Emissions

  • By replacing private car trips with shared zero-emission vehicles for the short distances between homes and train stations, the app can significantly lower the overall carbon footprint of commuters.
  • Fewer individual cars on the road results in reduced fuel consumption and emissions, especially for short trips, which are less fuel-efficient in combustion engine vehicles.

Less Congestion and Parking Pressure

  • Reducing the number of private cars traveling to and parking at train stations will decrease traffic congestion in and around these high-traffic areas.
  • It frees up parking space for other users, reduces the need for large parking lots, and creates a more pedestrian-friendly environment around stations.

Cost Savings for Users

  • Commuters save money on fuel, parking fees, and car maintenance by opting for the ZEVi carshare instead of using their own vehicles for short trips.
  • It can offer a more economical option for those who do not use their cars frequently enough to justify ownership.

Ease of Integration with Public Transport

  • ZEVI complements Victoria’s existing public transport app PTV by solving the “last-mile” problem—making it easier for people to access public transport hubs without needing to use their own car.
  • Integrating the app with local transport systems (e.g., synced with train schedules) can streamline the user experience, making public transport more appealing.

Health and Environmental Benefits

  • Fewer cars on the road leads to reduced air pollution and a healthier living environment, especially in urban areas.
  • Carsharing models can contribute to a reduction in the overall number of vehicles on the road, which decreases wear and tear on infrastructure and the need for costly road expansions or repairs.

Community Building and Trust

  • A localized carshare model, like ZEVi, could foster a greater sense of community among users, especially since people will be sharing rides with others who live nearby.
  • It could lead to new social connections while also promoting an eco-conscious mindset.

Promotion Tactics to Drive User Adoption

  • Convincing private car owners through the use of creative marketing and promotion to shift to carsharing will require overcoming ingrained habits and preferences for the convenience and control of private vehicle ownership.
  • Offering incentives, such as discounted rides, loyalty programs, or guaranteed parking spots for ZEVI users, could help drive adoption).

AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

  • ZEVs - Autonomous ZEVs will be not far from possibility with strong collaboration between the government and partner manufacturer
  • eBikes – ways to developing bike infrastructure that are consistent, safe and seamless are yet to be explored and road management geographical and structural limitations.

#smart mobility #zero emission vehicles (zev) #sustainable transport #public transport optimization #carsharing #ride-on-demand #energy efficiency #carbon emissions reduction #public transport scheduling #active transport infrastructure #ai-driven analytics #urban mobility #real-time data #etl pipelines #passenger demand analysis #victoria climate strategy #data-driven decision-making #net-zero emissions #public transport efficiency #first/last-mile solutions.

Data Story


Datasets Used:


Evidence of Work

Video

Team DataSets

This team does not currently have any datasets.

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