CPTS 

Executive Summary 

The Cyber-Physical Transportation Systems (CPTS) project aims at establishing the framework for a decision-support system for eventual nationwide policy applications like the Route Rationalization Plan of the Department of Transportation - Philippines (DOTr). This was achieved by developing several independent and interacting components like hardware (i-ATOMs), software (T4Cast), and research (ITS Lab). This project is a 2-year project in partnership with LTFRB, DOST PCIEERD, UP Department of Computer Science, UP National Center for Transportation Studies and the Intelligent Transportation Systems Laboratory (ITSlab PH). 

The Problem 

Transport crisis in the Philippines is a multi-sectoral problem that requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Several solutions aimed at alleviating the traffic situation are currently in the works, which includes building mass transport infrastructures and the PUV modernization plan. In the case of the Information Technology (IT) sector, a data-analytics approach would be used in order to solve the current transport crisis. It is under this context that this project was conceptualized: a system composed of various interacting components; hardware for traffic data collection and traffic information dissemination, software for automated actuation and data processing, and data center for traffic data archival. 

One of the key steps in the 2017 master plan of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) was to develop an advanced system for effective actuation of analysis results in the field, which required an efficient vehicle-infrastructure communication. This project targeted to build a prototype cyber-physical system (CPS) that brings together different components to aid the then Route Rationalization Plan of DOTr.  

The Solution 

The i-ATOMs prototype produced by this project is a high modularity advanced traffic controller mounted on a mobile structure. The prototype has traffic data gathering capabilities through cameras and RFID readers as well as advanced traffic information dissemination capabilities through traffic and pedestrian lights, wide LED outdoor display as well as speakers for auditory information. The i-ATOMs are connected to the command center, which collects, as well as processes, the data gathered by each device. In addition, the i-ATOM devices can communicate with each other locally. 

On the other hand, T4Cast, an automated macroscopic traffic demand simulation tool developed for this project, is one among the several planned software that is designed to work with i-ATOMs. The software has the capability to automate the classical travel demand forecasting four-step model for urban and transportation planning. The software also provides flexibility in output and reports including visual insights or raw metrics as well as featuring the ability to conduct scenario analysis and impact evaluation. 

Finally, the establishment of the ITSlab PH ensures that the future research and development endeavors with respect to ITS will be pursued with greater emphasis on holistic collaborations between institutions and on the dissemination of these technologies. 

Target Market 

This project was developed considering its key stakeholders in the design process and will benefit the primary government agencies within their respective mandates such as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for the traffic control system, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the macroscopic transportation analysis software, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the entire cyber-physical transportation system. 

Contact 

Dr. Adrian Roy L. Valdez, PhD  

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, UP Diliman  

Research and Extension Fellow, UP National Center for Transportation Studies 

alvaldez@up.edu.ph / itslab.upd@up.edu.ph  

itslab.ncts.upd.edu.ph