Usually they are monitored by the driver only. But there is no reason why it couldn't be remotely monitored like your suggestion for VLR.
None of the promotional images have shown multiple units in operation.
Perhaps autonomous vehicles could couple virtually rather than doing so mechanically. They could space themselves out a bit more on a tight turn as required, at a necessarily limited speed.
Larger wheels might intrude into the cabin within wheelboxes, as in many existing low-floor tram designs and buses. That often limits interior layouts to having only longitudinal seats directly over the wheels. Incorporating traction motors in such a low-floor configuration is no doubt challenging, but tram makers already manage it, and the installed power and size for an even smaller, lighter vehicle should mean the traction equipment also shrinks a bit.
Economically it is easier if you don't have to pay for a driver, but have a controller and remote security monitoring operator instead (especially because the controller/security operator can monitor multiple vehicles at a time.)
Part of the automation issues are to do with legacy infrastructure. Automation wouldn't necessarily mean completely computerised operation, but operation via a control room.
It's just a trial they're applying for permission for, it's not intended to be the full route.
Do we even know how long the full route would be? Its not very convincing to have a short route even as a trial when a bus can be used.
www.coventry.gov.uk
Looking at the video posted in #38, there appears to be a small cab for the driver at one end. Do we know if there will be a loop at each end to turn in around?
Suggested routes are on page 17 of the presentation here: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloa...-s-urban-very-light-rail-project-presentation
Because they want to see how people will interact with it in a busy shopping area, and also so they can extend it and open it for revenue service after trials?
Why not trial it at the University of Warwick? Still a busy environment and forms part of a future route.
This does seem like it could have been a good idea. I suppose what obstructions they're trying to test most might be relevant - Warwick has very high volumes of pedestrians near the hour who don't look before crossing the road which is useful, but less cars. Meanwhile the bridge over the ring road by the station is better if you want to test how it interacts with lunatic drivers
I'm glad someone has realised that it's similar capacity but less flexible than a bus.
When on segregated track it requires less space for the road than a busway would for the same speed, since you dont have to worry about the driver veering off.
Why? The battery used in the tram will be some off the shelf battery packs from Samsung or some Chinese manufacturer, not any different from a bus
Sorry, I meant the cost of a bus vs the tram & associated infrastructure
Trams are better than buses in busy pedestrian areas, due to following a predictable path and having the running gear shielded from contact with people.
Coventry have been supporting VLR (financially as well as morally) since at least 2019. This is the first part of what was intended at that time to be a route to Walsgrave Hospital, which in turn was planned to be the first of several linking Coventry to its suburbs and maybe even to the HS2 interchange. However, it's stated to be not for passenger use, and I'm a bit at a loss how a non-passenger operation in the city centre can prove the concept any further than a non-passenger operation on the non-public test track at Dudley.
The UoW will have lower pedestrian counts than Cov city centre - in terms of why they're testing it, the software may need refinement to see how the new autonomous driving tech including collision avoidance works in real life.
Tram operating practise isn't neccesarily totally useful - see my comments on autonomous driving above.
Hmmm, maybe they are thinking of the tram equivalent of all those autonomous cars driving round America with "safety drivers" who can (in theory at least) intervene if it looks like the tech is messing up.
That's what I thought - although refining the tech should be easier on VLR tracks which are more predictable than your average road conditions.
It looks like nobody has an idea what the purpose of this thing isSecret talks over Cov trams revealed as full details of failures emerge
The Very Light Rail scheme faces questions from the Department for Transportwww.coventrytelegraph.net
Based on my recent use of a bus, a 23 plate. The bus rattled, banged, shuck, shuddered, fell down pot holes, steamed up, and the speeding up/slowing down was erratic. Give me a tram anyday. Let's face it, buses are a poor, and cheap option. I would leave my car at home for rail transport, but not for a bus.
