IVECO BUS at the UITP World Congress in Stockholm

Tuesday 11th June 2019

A leading European public transport brand and a pioneer in alternative-drive buses, IVECO BUS offers a wide range of transport solutions ranging from NGV to biomethane and electric, as well as innovative related solutions.

From natural gas to biomethane…

IVECO BUS’ Natural Power line is a proven, environmentally-friendly mobility solution that runs on natural gas and biomethane. It allows the manufacturer to offer options that are better for the environment and for public health. The line offers especially high performance in terms of pollutant and sound emissions reduction. With natural gas, fine particle emissions levels are reduced to nearly zero, and nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by more than one third. The noise level is also reduced by half, offering exceptional operating conditions for the driver, passengers, other road users and pedestrians. .

The line is also respectful of natural resources as it is fully compatible with biomethane, made from organic waste. IVECO BUS’ vehicles therefore have an excellent carbon footprint and represent a concrete step towards the inevitable energy transition. The environmental benefits translate to greenhouse gas reductions of up to 95%. Other promising sectors, such as “Power to Gas”, aim to produce synthetic methane using electrical energy from renewable sources such as wind or solar. This sector also provides storage and distribution throughout the network.

Natural gas vehicles, from the Urbanway buses to the recently launched Crossway coaches, are the only alternative, oil-free solution currently available.

A European leader for over 20 years, IVECO BUS once again confirms its leading position in the alternative fuels sector and offers a mature, virtuous and eco-friendly solution from well to wheel. Suited to all types of transport with a very positive economic balance, the Natural Power solution puts IVECO BUS’s expertise at the service of sustainable transport.

… To electromobility

IVECO BUS completes this alternative offer with the Urbanway and Crealis “In-Motion-Charging” ranges. Available in 12 m and 18 m lengths, these vehicles combine electric overhead lines with a small on-board battery. This makes it possible to deploy a new electric bus route even if there are sections without overhead lines, considerably reducing complexity and costs without time lost on recharging. 800 units are already in circulation across Europe.

The GX ELEC range

Launched in 2015, the GX ELEC range includes the fully-electric GX LINIUM. This new generation Bus Rapid Transit vehicle offers an exclusive design and is set apart by its unusual front face with a smiling radiator grill, a streamlined roof and wheel covers. It also perfectly meets the latest mobility standards.

Available in standard or articulated versions, the GX LINIUM is designed to drive in dedicated lanes to facilitate travel and improve residents’ living environment. The service it offers is thus similar to that provided by other public transport systems.

To enhance the feeling of brightness and comfort, the LUMI’BUS® panoramic glass roof and additional windows, up to 5 modules, offer a panoramic view of the city. To complete the design, ambient LED lighting and LAMPA’BUS® light sources built into the columns indirectly illuminate the passenger compartment.

The high modularity of the seats and layouts offer an ideal blend of easy interior circulation and comfort for seated passengers, who can choose between seats with translucent backs, perch-type seating, etc. Illuminated markings built into the corners of the seat backs help passengers  with reduced mobility easily identify the seats reserved for them.

Universally accessible, its low floor makes it easier to manage the flow of passengers entering or disembarking, it also features  increased accessibility for persons with reduced mobility, passengers with baby carriages, and wheelchair users, etc.

USB ports make it possible for passengers to recharge their mobile phones, tablets, MP4 players, etc.

With GX LINIUM, HEULIEZ BUS demonstrates its desire to increase the attractiveness of urban buses by  offering an alternative to individual modes of transport. This new concept reflects its expertise and its creativity in terms of aesthetics, design, comfort, accessibility and respect for the environment.

Innovative services

IVECO BUS Mobility Experience affirms the brand’s innovative capacity and applies its expertise to improving the everyday lives of transport operators.

• HoloLens

Increasingly committed to helping its customers better operate their fleets, IVECO BUS is broadening its range of services through a mixed reality project powered by Microsoft HoloLens. The goal is to streamline maintenance operations and enhance interactions with service experts to provide the best possible customer service while minimising downtime and maximising productivity.

Among the many services offered by a dozen dealers and workshops spread across Europe, the HoloLens headset makes maintenance quick and easy.

The HoloLens headset contains an entire computer equipped with an adapted version of Windows 10. Three processors are used: the first is the main CPU (Central Processing Unit), the second is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and the third, called an HPU (Holographic Processing Unit), manages the spatial positioning of holograms, interfacing with the world around the HoloLens headset. Infrared cameras help the device further understand its surroundings, particularly in low-light conditions, while spatial audio speakers deliver a 360° sound experience that reflects the real-world positioning of the holograms. Voice command is also available through Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana. The headset weighs around 579 grams and offers a field of vision of around 30° by 17.5°.

The HoloLens offers a clear advantage for remote assistance. Maintenance teams can stay in contact with IVECO BUS experts hands-free whilst working on the vehicle, for efficient and fast intervention, with supporting information sent within seconds. The operator can thus repair a vehicle while communicating with an expert located in a workshop, for example, who can consult all of the technical datasheets and appropriate methods and send them to the technician, who can view them on his “glasses”. The operator can also talk directly with the expert in real-time via Skype. The benefits for all those  involved (the manufacturer, dealers, etc.) are clear: increased efficiency and time savings. The main goal of the device is to minimise the vehicle’s downtime and make the service more efficient, improving productivity and business continuity.

• ITxPT

As a founding member of the Information Technology for Public Transport (ITxPT) association and the first manufacturer to offer this solution, IVECO BUS is revolutionising the industry by fitting its vehicles with unique “plug & play” architecture for onboard public transport equipment. This includes operating aids, information systems for passengers, destination signs, ticketing, route broadcasts, passenger metering, etc.

Thanks to this new standard, all the players involved will benefit from a simplified set of ITxPT-certified equipment sharing the same language over the same network, for easier and faster installation and after-sales service. Transport operators will also benefit from better integration and interoperability.

• Autonomous garage

While autonomous driving on public roads is still pending authorisation, IVECO BUS is experimenting, in collaboration with UITP and RATP, on the “autonomous garage”.

The main idea is to manufacture buses equipped with sensors that can park themselves in the spots assigned by the automatic fleet management system, without human intervention. The benefits are numerous: better handling and time and space savings. Refuelling can also be carried out autonomously.

This group, created by IVECO BUS and RATP, is part of the “European Bus System of the Future” project.

A project group has also been created, as part of “Nouvelle France Industrielle”, which studies Automated Public Transport Systems in collaboration with the CEA, for safety aspects and intelligent transport systems.