Michele Simoni new assistant professor in transport systems analysis
NEW DIGITALISATION RESEARCHERS
In 2020, Michele Simoni was appointed assistant professor in transport systems analysis at the Department of Urban Planning and Environment/ABE school. His research is focused on modeling and optimisation of innovative solutions for transportation planning.
What is your research area?
"My main research activity is focused on modeling and optimisation of innovative solutions for transportation planning. The applications are several and include last mile freight transportation, analysis of transportation policies, and traffic flow simulation. I am particularly interested in investigating novel technologies and new mobility paradigms to cope with critical challenges such as the increase of urbanisation, limited infrastructure supply, and current market trends (for example, growth of e-commerce). My interest is not only in the individual technologies or mobility phenomena per se, but in their ultimate implications for the development of sustainable transportation systems," Michele Simoni says.
What are the large research challenges in your research area and why?
"During the last decade, technological improvements in wireless communication, computational, and sensing technologies have paved the way for several new mobility and transportation options (for example, driverless vehicles, crowdsourced and shared mobility services) that could transform our transportation systems. It is essential today to comprehend their societal implications and develop appropriate solutions to increase their benefits for developing more sustainable systems."
If you are looking for research collaborators, what competence is important?
"I would be interested in collaborations with researchers in energy systems to investigate the impacts and needs connected with the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles. I would also like to interact with researchers from the field of Computer Science to investigate applications of AI in the field of transportation planning."
Tell us more about one of your research results and why you picked it?
"An interesting topic I have recently addressed consists of a 'smart curbside management system for last-mile freight distribution'. In this project, I developed a reservation system that identifies the optimal allocation of commercial bays for carriers based on the incoming delivery vehicles' parking requests. A 'parking manager' identifies the optimal matching between parking requests and commercial bays to minimise the total amount of traffic disruptions or the detour of freight tours. Traffic simulation is adopted to evaluate the potential impacts of detours and double-parked deliveries on the surrounding traffic within this approach. Preliminary results indicate that the system can achieve an average network delay reduction of 2.5 per cent by making minor changes in the original configuration."
Lastly, what do you like with Stockholm and KTH?
"Stockholm is a beautiful mix of history, new technologies, nature and urban vibes. The quality of life is top-notch. I like KTH’s diverse environment and innovative mindset."