A new research hub will investigate how digital twin technology can decarbonise transport, including road, rail and maritime systems.

The multi-university collaboration led by Heriot-Watt and Glasgow universities will determine how the technology can speed up the energy transition to net zero, as cheaply and safely as possible.

The TransiT Hub is supported by a £46 million investment from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and 67 partners. 

It will use digital twins, digital replicas of the physical world which collect data in real-time by sensors connected to infrastructure such as roads, railways or shipping.

This means real-world data can be analysed to test and improve different scenarios, and the digital twin can then send back its solution for an improved process to the physical world in near real-time.

This could help motorists and reduce carbon emissions, for example through updating digital road signs with information on the shortest route out of traffic jams.

It will also allow us to test how parts of a future decarbonised transport system work that doesn’t even exist yet, for example electric road systems and alternative fuels. 

By speeding up the way new systems are tested it will help to identify the lowest-cost pathways to net zero carbon emissions, such as through helping logistics companies to identify the most sustainable routes, vehicle types and journey times.

Passengers and commuters will also benefit through being able to identify and help them make decisions about the most sustainable travel choices on a local, regional and national level.

Personalised digital twin assistants, operating similarly to how your Netflix account learns your preferences, could also build an understanding of mobility needs and journey requirements. 

They could then offer near to real-time journey options based on individual needs and budget, as well as the reliability of transport services and how the impact of weather might change them.

Feryal Clark, minister for AI and digital Government, said: “We see a technology future for British people which enriches and improves their lives. The research TransiT will now carry out is a prime example of how we’re supporting cutting-edge innovations to make that vision a reality. 

“On top of saving the public time and money on the journeys they take day-to-day, this project will also harness the power of transformative digital technologies to cut carbon emissions – demonstrating the incredible impact technology can have in improving our public services, tackling climate change, and beyond.”

Data to build the digital twins will come from TransiT’s industry partners, including the number and type of vehicles, fuel types, load sizes, length and frequency of routes.

The partners, who are providing £26 million in support, come from across the digital, energy and transport sectors, including transport operators, regulators, vehicle makers, technology companies and energy suppliers. 

TransiT joint director Professor Phil Greening, of Heriot-Watt University, said: “Transport accounts for about a third of UK carbon emissions and, with global temperatures rapidly rising, we have run out of time to carry out real world transport trials and learn from them. 

“So, if the UK is to meet its carbon reduction commitments, we have to do our experiments digitally. We need to design the future transport system and optimise the transition to it.”

TransiT joint director Professor David Flynn, from the University of Glasgow, said: “We will explore how digital twinning can improve the design of future transport solutions, to ensure services are accessible to all.  

“It’s challenging for designers and engineers today to appreciate the perspective of citizens with mobility challenges and what they experience throughout the full journey. If we can create and embed new design principles, we can identify equitable pathways to decarbonisation.”

The eight universities in TransiT will each focus on specific research areas:

  • Heriot-Watt – logistics and freight, including the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and The Centre for Logistics and Sustainability. 
  • University of Glasgow – digital twinning and cyber physical systems, including the university’s research groups in Energy and Sustainability and Communication, Sensing and Imaging. 
  • University of Leeds – transport decarbonisation policy development, including the university’s Institute for Transport Studies, one of the UK’s leading departments for transport teaching and research. 
  • University of Birmingham – rail, including the university’s Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, one of largest centres of its kind.  
  • Cranfield University – aviation, including the university’s globally-recognised Centre for Digital Engineering and Manufacturing. 
  • UCL – maritime, including the shipping research group at the university’s UCL Energy Institute. 
  • University of Cambridge – road freight, including the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, a collaboration between Cambridge, Heriot-Watt and Westminster universities with industry and government partners. 
  • Durham University – engineering of public transport systems, including work on hydrogen transportation in the Durham Energy Institute.