CityCar Mobility-on-DemandSmartCities Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Big Problem: Buildings and Transportation

In the 21st century about 90% of population growth will be in urban areas; these will account for 60% of the population and 80% of the wealth. Hence, the pattern of future energy demand will increasingly be determined by urban networks.

Transportation and building operations typically account for at least 60% of urban energy use.

In congested urban areas, about 40% of total gasoline use is in cars looking for parking.-Imperial College Urban Energy Systems Project

World Population Estimates (UN report 2007)

1. 50% of Global Population – Currently live in dense urban areas (red line)

2. Increased Urban Densification – Urbanization trend will continue for the foreseeable future (rural populations will flatten and decrease)

3. Increased Inefficient Energy Use – leading to climate change

1. Private Automobiles – Major source of pollution and carbon emissions; massive congestion, parking, and noise problems

2. Public Transportation – Does not cover the entire city; inconvenient and inflexible schedules

3. First Mile-Last Mile Problem

Smart Sustainable

Cities

Communication Systems

Energy Systems

Mobility Systems

Rethinking Systems

The typical automobile weighs 20 times as much as its driver, requires more than 100 square feet for parking,travels over 300 miles without refueling, and attains speeds well over 100 miles per hour. Each of thesecharacteristics is considerably more than what is needed in major cities worldwide, where most of the world’speople now live. In fact, while today’s vehicles are designed to meet almost all conceivable needs for transportingpeople and cargo over long distances, these requirements drive considerable cost, energy, mass, and spaceinefficiency into the vehicle.

Energy and Space Efficient

Today's Vehicle Urban Personal Transportation Needs

range (miles) 300 40‐50

weight (lbs) 2500 ‐ 4000 < 1000

speed (mph) 100+ 20‐35

capacity 5 passengers, full luggage 2 passengers & carry‐onsparking area 

(sq ft) 175 <50

CityCar core principles:

Substitute & Simplify

Regionalize function

minimize the amount of “stuff”

Wheel Robot

Animation: Michael Chia-Liang Lin

Reinventing the Wheel

Energy and Control BusLi-Ion Batteries

Cabin ShellStructural Protection and glazing

Wheel RobotsIn-Wheel Drive-by-Wire Electric Motor, Suspension, and Steering

Interior ModuleVehicle Control and passenger seating

Exoskeletal Chassis Safety Cage and folding Chassis

Rear ModuleStorage and Supplementary Power

Exploiting the vehicle’s modularity Supply Chain

The vehicle’s platform can be radically simplified and has the potential to reduce its part count an order of magnitude –resulting in lighter, more energy efficient, zero emission greener solutions. In addition, the supply chain can be streamlined by exploiting modularization allowing assembly procedures to be simplified and opened to more flexible processes.

The CityCar enables new functions to enhance the user’s experience through eased negotiation of space and customized user interaction without incurring unacceptable performance, safety, or cost penalties in an urban environment.

Omni-directional Robot Wheelsgive nimble movement from a highly modular unit

Front Door Accessprovides eased exit and entry allowing users to step right out on to the sidewalk

Foldable Frame reduces footprint in half, simplifies egress, and provides impact dampening

Dynamic Front Impact Dampening decelerates passengers in a crash in the micro-sized CityCar to emulate the crumple zone of a larger vehicle

Decoupled rear storage maintains a low center of gravity, reduces energy used to fold, and facilitates effortless trunk access

Lightweight Aluminum Chassisprovides exo-skeletal safety cage and eliminates need for delicate and expensive painted surfacing

Structural glazing allows for more transparent

surface while providing greater cabin protection

Micro Footprint alleviates parking difficulties while occupying half the space of a Smart Car

Full Electric Powertrainoffers a clean zero-emission, highly modular platform

Simple Drive-By-Wire Interfaceoffers eased and customizable control systemwhile allowing or greater interior space

CityCar Features

Exploiting the vehicle’s modularity End-user

Less bounded…

Bixi

Bicing

2007 2010 2011

Automotive industry realizes they need a

Quantum leap to survive

2009

Government Incentives and funding

for automotive manufacturers

2008

Oil barrel hits$150

2012

Emerging smart grids

Lithium-ion battery peaks in capacity

Velib

Growth of shared mobility

Rapid prototype …to rapid manufacturing

Collapse of Car Market

Encouraging Trends in Industry

Cloud Mobility: the future vision that ubiquitous connectivity will eventually provide for seamless navigation, energy balancing, space negotiation, real-time information sharing, and other services applicable to assisting users in more efficient, effective, and enjoyable commuting.

V2V

V2Grid

GPS

Mobile Communications

Smart Grids

Vehicle sensing

I2V

Mesh Networks

V2Green

Image by Michael Lin and Will Lark

Fleet Management

Cloud

Navigation Cloud

Energymanagement

cloud

CityCar Details

Accessibility

Connectivity

Reusable Energy

Electric Compatibility

Digital Control

Dynamic Pricing: Simulation of a Rack using System Dynamics

Demand Rate

40

30

20

10

0

1

1

11

1 11 1

11 1 1 1 1

1

11 1 1

11

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Demand Rate : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Users in Queue

20

15

10

5

0

1

1

11 1 1 1 1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

11 1

1

1

11

1 1 1 11

1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Users in Queue : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Actual Service Rate

60

45

30

15

0

1

1

1

11

11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Actual Service Rate : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Vehicles in Rack (Inventory)

10

7.5

5

2.5

0

1

11

1

1

1

1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

"Vehicles in Rack (Inventory)" : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Inventory Shortfall

0.6

0.3

0

‐0.3

‐0.6

1

1

11

1 1 1 11

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Inventory Shortfall : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Price Adjustment Rate

600

300

0

‐300

‐600

1

1

1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Price Adjustment Rate : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Rack Price

40

20

0

‐20

‐40

1

1

11

1 11 1

11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Rack Price : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Departure Price

40

20

0

‐20

‐40

1

1

11

1 11 1

11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Departure Price : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Utility of Outgoing

4

3

2

1

0

1

1

1

1

1 11 1

1

11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Time (Hour)

Utility of Outgoing : Current5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Loop Number 2 of length 9Demand Rate

Users in QueueDeparture RateVehicles in RackInventory ShortfallPrice Adjustment RateRack PriceDeparture PriceUtility of Outgoing

Demand Rate

Simulation Analysis

Dynamic Pricing: A Trip Market Economy

With large‐scale use, car stacks throw enormous battery capacity into the electrical grid.

Effective utilization of inexpensive, off‐peak power and clean but intermittent power sources – solar, wind, wave, etc.

A smart, distributed power generation system composed of these sources (the entire city as a virtual power plant) minimizes transmission losses.

Load balancing with clean local storage

Simplify on board vehicle by capitalizing on existing city infrastructures keep cars simple, light, and efficient

Diversify energy sources

New energy markets

William J. Mitchell, Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences

Claire Abrahamse, M.S. CandidateRyan Chin, PhD. CandidateChao-Chih Chuang, MS CandidateCharles Guan, B.S. CandidateItaru Hiromi, B.S. CandidateWilliam Lark, Jr., PhD CandidateMichael Chia-Liang Lin, MS. CandidateArthur T. Mak, M.S. CandidateDimitris Papanikolaou, Research AffiliateArthur Petron, M.S. CandidateRaul-David “Retro” Poblano, PhD CandidateSomnath Ray, SMarchS Candidate

Website: http://cities.media.mit.eduContact: wlark@media.mit.edu

rchin@media.mit.edu

MIT Media Lab | Smart Cities Design Team

SmartCitiesContact: Will Lark wlark@media.mit.edu

Ryan Chin rchin@media.mit.edu