People
Ing. Václav Jirovský, Ph.D.

2023, 32nd Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2023, Aachen, RWTH Aachen), p. 1-9), ISBN 978-3-00-076758-6

In 2015, three Prague universities together with Škoda Auto started a student project on finding a sustainable concept of a car-sharing service. In 2018 the service entirely designed, developed and operated by students went into life under its own brand name - Uniqway. It overcame harsh covid seasons and proved capability of return to pre-covid numbers in just two weeks after the covid restrictions were abolished. However, at the beginning 2023 the service was suspended by its investor Škoda Auto Digilab. The explanation for such step was project's business unsustainability. The proposed paper summarizes outcomes of the project, which outline several aspects of sustaina-ble car-sharing service, though they were not applied in Uniqway. Whole project had been focused primarily on university students as they are perceived as the most susceptible to new services and technologies, and apparently, they usually don't own a car. Hence, similar age group usually forms majority of users in all car-sharing services. Such group can easily accept life without own car and their transport behavior can widely influence the optimization of transport system as a whole, thus thrusting its sustainable restructuring. The paper presents multiple topics in Uniqway car-sharing project including the service and technology development, vehicle fleet and drop-off locations, financial aspects and non-financial benefits. However, the general goal is relatively simple - sustainable ser-vice can be explained as there are no leftovers when a part of the service reaches its end-of-life. In car-sharing the main component is a vehicle. Car-sharing services usu-ally adopt similar model as car rental companies, thus selling used cars at the right moment. Such approach leaves a vehicle in the system. The paper applies the expe-rience and data gained in Uniqway project and focuses on processes related to holistic sustainability of a road transport system where car-sharing plays a significant role.

2022

The research activity focused on analysis of current and near future regulations and testing procedures related to URU protection and the needs for testing. Part of it was focused on assessment of capability of various types of sensors in terms of detecting motion platforms. An experiment with camera based object recognition was performed. The other sensors (lidar, radar, ultrasound) were analyzed from the theoretical point of view and recommendations for simple pre-testing experiments were issued.

2022

Předmětem zpracované zprávy je analýza dopadů pandemie COVID19 na carsharingové aktivity s důrazem na projekt univerzitního carsharingu UNIQWAY. Vlastní výzkumná zpráva zahrnuje vyhodnocení fungování carsharingu v obecné rovině a dále pak v kontextu reálného carsharingového projektu UNIOWAY. Jsou identifikovány změny v oblasti chování uživatelů v době před vypuknutím pandemie a následně v období vlastní pandemie. Identifikovány jsou klíčové změny a determinanty těchto změn. Následně je specifikována strategie orientovaná na schopnost přizpůsobit se vlivu pandemie na fungování carsharingových aktivit a to zejména ve vztahu k aktivitám vyvíjeným pro potřeby univerzitní komunity.

2022, Human Interaction, Emerging Technologies and Future Systems V, Basel, Springer Nature Switzerland AG), p. 605-610), ISBN 978-3-030-85539-0, ISSN 2367-3370

The article deals with the problem of responsibility or accountability of artificial intelligence build into the vehicle. It introduced problem of algorithmization of the society and some thought of the prominent persons on the artificial intelligence implementation into day-by-day life. From this background the article focuses on the problems of cooperative autonomous vehicles, their grouping and the behavior of the group in dynamically changed environment. The engineering, sociological and psychological view are com-pared. Following conclusions are based on the Strawsonian account distinguish between strong and weak AI and argue the power of these AI groups, pointing out reasonable responsibility gap. The article is closed by conclusion on responsibility or accountability of AI in autonomous vehicles at current state of art.

2022, Automatizované řízení vozidel a autonomní doprava. Technické a humanitní perspektivy, Praha, ACADEMIA, nakladatelství AV ČR), p. 85-130), ISBN 978-80-200-3358-1

Kapitola představuje nový pohled na silniční dopravní systém, detechnologizaci definic prvků v dopravním systému, která pak umožňuje efektivnější až holistické uchopení dopravních problémů. Nastiňuje komplexitu interakcí prvků v socio-technologickém systému a představuje možnosti uspokojení lidských potřeb definovaných A. Maslowem různými typy přepravních systémů a technologií.

2022

Integrated automated testbench for vehicles with various levels of autonomy consists of experimental in-vehicle equipment including specific sensors for human-technology interaction in terms of technical specifics of vehicle control. Data are to be provided for driver technical-behavior models and thus provide inputs for software based testing or symbiotic vehicle concepts. The research report describes design process of software delivered in 2-WP04-07.

2022

Předmětem zpracované zprávy je analýza dopadů ekonomické nejistoty (válka na Ukrajině, zdražování pohonných hmot a energií, vysoká inflace) na carsharingové aktivity s důrazem na projekt univerzitního carsharingu UNIQWAY. Vlastní výzkumná zpráva zahrnuje vyhodnocení fungování carsharingu v obecné rovině a dále pak v kontextu reálného carsharingového projektu UNIQWAY. Jsou identifikovány změny v oblasti chování uživatelů v době po skončení pandemie pandemie COVID 19 a v následujícím období ekonomické nejistoty vyvolané válkou na Ukrajině, související vysokou inflací a zdražováním pohonných hmot a energií. Identifikovány jsou klíčové změny a determinanty těchto změn. Následně je specifikována strategie orientovaná na schopnost přizpůsobit se vlivu nepříznivé ekonomické situace na fungování carsharingových aktivit a to zejména ve vztahu k aktivitám vyvíjeným pro potřeby univerzitní komunity.

2021, Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, Cham, Springer), p. 55-59), ISBN 978-3-030-79999-1

The models of thinking and behavior of human population, using regular meta-descriptors of IT procedures, show that to increase the computing power will not be the shortest way to the artificial intelligence with ability to solve even simple task of the management. Human nature, human mental ability together with intuition, abstraction and association skills has to be described more in analog then in digital world. From analog point of view, we have connection with many analog signal levels encumbered by distortion, interference or crosstalk’s. The main role will be played by signal to noise ratio at the input to the destination neuron. Furthermore, we are ready to state that interference caused by crosstalk’s would create a part of human association abilities and imagination. Some views of these approaches are addressed in the paper.

2021, Proceedings of the FISITA 2021 World Congress, London, FISITA - International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies), ISBN 978-1-9160259-2-9

When we try to have a clear look at the evolution of transportation, we could see bright beginnings with shady todays. Many governmental organizations, institutions, technological companies, and even NGOs are trying to deal with current challenges in transport, mostly resulting in costly congestions. Moreover, almost everybody is expecting the change will be instant. A scientific view of the topic cannot be that simple. The current world of transport offers many data-based socalled solutions dealing with congestions. Furthermore, we have new transport devices, a smaller, efficient, single purpose. Last but not least, old technological tools are being transformed by a new approach to the relation between the transportation provider and its user. We can see navigation apps enhanced with real-time traffic data promoting selfish behaviour leading to the devastation of calm neighbourhoods and local roads by directing high traffic through such places. History of narrow city streets is thwarted by huge shared bicycles waiting for their next rider or blocked by piles of e-scooters. Hence, the environment is adapting to these novelties. Often it is performed in the most convenient way, not in an optimal manner. One of the new approaches to old types of transport is carsharing – the user still drives a car by himself, but he does not own the vehicle. It is expected that the current global vehicle fleet of private cars could be reduced almost by 30% if proper carsharing systems are widely adopted. However, proper adoption and time to achieve it are the most significant challenges. The average lifecycle of a single-vehicle ends after ca. twenty years of service. Technologies, that allowed the rise of carsharing exist and have widely penetrated the market in the last few years, even though carsharing itself is known since ca. the 1950s. Therefore, if we would like to observe the real benefit of carsharing, we need to wait until the lifecycle of at least 30% of vehicles will end, while the carsharing is highly available to anybody anywhere. It could be a very long time. On the other hand, current trends in ownership show a different approach to the new generations. Some of the studies doubt the longevity of their alternative attitude, as the needs change with age, family life, employment, etc. Nevertheless, dealing with the young generation, such as students, means dealing with people without a car and relatively low income. Thus, on the one hand, it is an excellent opportunity to reduce the number of stationary vehicles on the streets in the future, but it is a tough challenge in promoting relatively expensive service. Project Uniqway is a carsharing service entirely developed and operated by students with the financial support of ŠKODA AUTO. The student team's limited capacity and focus on development resulted in heavy deployment automation and migration from

2020, Young Transportation Engineers Conference 2020, Praha, Fakulta dopravní), p. 36-42), ISBN 978-80-01-06793-2

The trend of sharing economy in services of micromobility brings the opportunity of a combination of individual and public transport. Sharing cars and scooters with public or intercity transport offers the possibility of planning longer trips outside cities. It also brings a solution to the last mile problem. The university carsharing Uniqway is a project of three Prague universities. With the support of universities and ŠKODA AUTO, the students provide service of sharing cars in Prague. The fleet counts 23 cars now and traveled more than 550 000 kilometers. The article aims to describe collecting, processing, and analysing data in the sharing means of transport and practical illustration of their realisation.

2020, Human Interaction, Emerging Technologies and Future Applications II, Basel, Springer Nature Switzerland AG), p. 110-114), ISBN 978-3-030-44266-8, ISSN 2194-5357

The article deals with current problems of IT and sets up a new view of semantic memory as a base for artificial intelligence system. The explanation of object defined as a language, not as a data, leads to linked semantic objects and memory sizing paradox.

2020, FISITA Web Congress 2020 - Technical Papers, London, FISITA - International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies), ISBN 978-1-9160259-1-2

The sprint in technology during the last hundred years has brought us to new questions in almost all subjects of science, including transport. This brought question outstanding the greatest challenge since switch from horses to cars andmotorcycles – autonomous road transport. The answer whether or not we shall follow this path and put driving aside to the position of enjoyment for wealthy, similarly as we did with horses, is not clear. Transport sector is highly interdisciplinary and affects the whole population, in minor cases only indirectly. This makes it sensitive to political decisions, investments, marketing and media. Therefore, it is hard to provide strictly single-subject related scientific answer, because due to the nature of transportation there is simply none. The following paper picks up aspects of several disciplines influencing design of autonomous vehicles and systems including decision making process in transport and trying to bring a focus to the path to follow in automation features in complex socio-technological system of road transport.

2019, Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies, Cham, Springer), p. 84-89), ISBN 978-3-030-25628-9, ISSN 2194-5357

The article deals with current problems of IT deployment in different segments of human activities. In the introduction the similarity of Industrial Revolution in 18 century and IT revolution today are compared. Following chapter deals with the impact of broad deployment of IT on human mental and decision process. Following chapter discuss changes in capability of human to memorize information and to judge based on information memorized and impact of IT on these abilities. The filtering model of human information processing introduce simple novelty approach using two separated filters – the knowledge filter and emotional filter. The conclusion emphasizes the thread of changes in people way of information processing, especially impact on people attitude and simple perception management.

2018, Autosympo/Kolokvium Božek 2018, Praha, Česká automobilová společnost)

Přednáška se zabývá novými přístupy k dopravě člověka, specificky systémy Mobility-as-a-Service v kontrastu s tradičním Transportation-as-a-Service a obecným užitím dopravní infrastruktury. Služby věcně klasifikuje a zasazením do současné dopravní infrastruktury v souvislosti s potřebami člověka. Jsou předloženy základní výsledky z vývoje a zkušebního provozu služby sdílení vozidel pro studenty Uniqway, navržené a vyvinuté studenty. V neposlední řadě přednáška označuje potenciální bezpečnostní hrozby v souvislosti s náhradou vlastnictví službou.

2017, Autosympo/Kolokvium Božek 2017, Praha, Česká automobilová společnost)

The document summarizes the problems of incompatible interactions in daily road transportation systems and offers a new view to cooperative human-technology integrated design of road vehicle.

2017, Society of Automotive Engineers Technical Paper Series, 2017 (1), ISSN 0148-7191

Today's vehicles are being more often equipped with systems, which are autonomously influencing the vehicle behavior. More systems of the kind and even fully autonomous vehicles in regular traffic are expected by OEMs in Europe around year 2025. Driving is highly multitasking activity and human errors emerge in situations, when he is unable to process and understand the essential amount of information. Future autonomous systems very often rely on some type of inter-vehicular communication. This shall provide the vehicle with higher amount of information, than driver uses in his decision making process. Therefore, currently used 1-D quantity TTC (time-to-collision) will become inadequate. Regardless the vehicle is driven by human or robot, it’s always necessary to know, whether and which reaction is necessary to perform. Adaptable autonomous vehicle systems will need to analyze the driver’s situation awareness level. Such knowledge can be enhanced by 2-D quantity, so called reaction space, and its entropy. The new approach defines a limit space, where ego vehicle or other vehicles can be present in the future specified by an amount of time. This enables the option of counting not only with braking time, but mitigation by changing direction is feasible. Opposed to TTC, considering time as an input is appreciated especially when switching from autonomous to manual driving. For such situation we observe two kinds of reaction spaces – one, connected with the requirements of autopilot, and second, resulting from the expected human reaction. Effects of entropy in 2-D reaction space are presented in the paper.

2017, 2017 Smart Cities Symposium Prague (SCSP) - IEEE PROCEEDINGS, New York, IEEE Press), ISBN 978-1-5386-3825-5

The paper presents a proposed sensing system for vehicles based on lidar. Three short range lidars where used to fuse the measurement data into a point set in which objects in front of the vehicle could be detected via proposed algorithm for clustering the point set. The lidars are able to measure distance up to the 40 meters, making the system suitable for the urban environments. The lidars were mounted onto the stepper motors. compactRIO (cRIO) controlled the communication with lidars and movement of the motors, also the algorithm ran on the real-time part of the cRIO. The algorithm is built on the idea of the nearest neighbour approach and shows promising results on the synthetic data.