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Our doctoral student, Li Zhi, attended the 13th Annual Conference of the Transportation Research Forum (TRF), held on November 2, 2024, in Shanghai. At the conference, Li Zhi presented on the topic “On the Value of Orderly Electric Vehicle Charging in Carbon Emission Reduction,” explored the role of orderly charging in reducing carbon emissions, shared relevant research findings, and engaged in in-depth discussions with domestic and international peers to advance the development of sustainable transportation.

We are thrilled to announce that our research team, “NanNanYu Team,” has won the first prize in the 2024 X-GAME Shanghai Smart New Energy Vehicle Big Data Competition with the highest score of 87.2 points! Our solution, titled “Analysis of Heterogeneous Charging Behavior and Facility Matching Driven by Simulation,” stood out among nearly 800 participants from over 600 teams.

This year’s competition was fierce, attracting top talent from a diverse range of industries, including industrial manufacturing, data services, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, finance, meteorology, and more. More than 60% of the participants in the New Energy Vehicle track were graduate students, adding to the high level of expertise in the competition. Additionally, for the first time, the event was open to professionals in the industry, further elevating the quality and depth of the competition. The competition’s final and award ceremony took place on November 22, 2024, where we were honored to receive the first prize in recognition of our outstanding work.

Our team, guided by Professor Zhibin Chen and composed of Ruinan Wang, Qingnan Liang, and Zhengyu Shi, presented our innovative research on electric vehicle charging behavior simulation. By analyzing heterogeneous charging behavior and optimizing the matching of charging facilities, our model offers valuable insights into how to better plan and distribute charging stations to meet future demand.

This win represents a significant achievement for our team, and we are excited to continue advancing the field of new energy vehicles, contributing to the development of green travel, low-carbon transportation, and sustainable infrastructure.

We are thrilled to announce that our lab member, Yuhao Liu, presented his paper titled “Alleviating Bus Bunching via Modular Vehicles” at the 6th International Symposium on Multimodal Transportation (ISMT 2024), held at Southeast University from October 18 to 20, 2024, in Nanjing, China. Yuhao’s work stood out among an impressive lineup of research, and he was honored with the Best Presenter Prize for his exceptional presentation and contribution.

In his paper, Yuhao proposed two innovative split-and-merge operations—catch-up splits and holding splits—that help buses recover from schedule deviations. Specifically, catch-up splits assist late buses, while holding splits aid early buses in maintaining regular intervals. His methodology extends the applicability of the continuum approximation model to bus systems with hard capacity constraints without introducing additional conditions. This work provides valuable insights into the design of modular autonomous vehicle (MAV)-aided, bunch-proof transit systems.

The theme of ISMT 2024 is “Emerging Technologies and Methodologies in Multimodal Transportation.” This prestigious symposium provides a platform for participants from both academia and industry to share knowledge and exchange ideas on cutting-edge research in multimodal transportation. Organized by Southeast University, ISMT 2024 brings together experts, scholars, and professionals from diverse backgrounds, fostering discussions on the future of transportation.

We extend our congratulations to Yuhao Liu on his outstanding achievement and encourage everyone with an interest in multimodal transportation to participate in and contribute to ISMT 2024.

The N.E.T. Summer Camp 2024 was successfully held at NYU Shanghai from August 29 to 30, bringing together students from various universities to collaborate, share knowledge, and explore new research directions. Among the participants, three students, including Jie Wei, Yuanshuai Ou, and Wen Ma, chose Dr. Chen as their advisor.

On August 29, Jie Wei, a student from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, delivered a comprehensive presentation titled “Sharing of Meta-Heuristic Algorithms and Applications.” The session sparked active discussions among attendees, who engaged in an in-depth exploration of the potential of these algorithms to solve complex problems. The event continued on August 30 with an interactive group discussion session. Participants from various research groups introduced their respective research directions and future plans.

The N.E.T. Summer Camp 2024 successfully established a platform for academic growth, encouraging the exchange of ideas and collaborative learning among participants. The event at NYU Shanghai once again demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing research and innovation, while also giving participants a meaningful glimpse into the world of Ph.D. research studies.

From July 15 to 17, 2024, the 25th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory (ISTTT25) was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The symposium, organized by the University of Michigan and the University of California, Davis, attracted experts and scholars in transportation and traffic theory from around the world to discuss the latest research and technological advancements in the field.

Our research group had the privilege of attending this prestigious event, where Dr. Zhibin Chen and Yuhao Liu presented the opening keynote titled “Alleviating Bus Bunching via Modular Vehicles.” This study explores how the application of modular vehicles can optimize the operation efficiency of bus systems, mitigate the issue of bus bunching, and enhance the quality of public transportation services.

Conference Background

The International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory has been dedicated to advancing the field of transportation and traffic theory since its inception in Warren, Michigan, in 1959. At that time, private car ownership was booming in the Western world, with the United States leading as a major automobile producer. Henry Ford’s vision of making cars affordable for anyone with a stable job was becoming a reality. Concurrently, the field of transportation and traffic theory was rapidly developing, with foundational research conducted by Robert Herman and his colleagues at the General Motors Research Laboratory.

Highlights of the Research Group’s Presentation

At ISTTT25, Dr. Zhibin Chen and Yuhao Liu’s presentation garnered significant attention. Their research, based on a deep understanding of existing bus system issues, proposes an innovative method to alleviate bus bunching through the use of modular vehicles. By flexibly dispatching modular vehicles, it is possible to more effectively manage passenger flow variations during peak hours, reduce the excessive concentration of buses on the same route, and thus improve overall operational efficiency.

Significance of the Research

The introduction of modular vehicles not only provides greater flexibility and adaptability to bus systems but also offers important insights for the development of future intelligent transportation systems. With the continuous advancement of autonomous driving technology, modular vehicles are expected to play a larger role in urban transportation, offering passengers more convenient and efficient travel options.

Conclusion

Our research group is honored to have participated in ISTTT25 and grateful to the organizers for providing this valuable platform to share our research findings and exchange ideas with global peers. This presentation not only showcased our latest research progress but also provided new perspectives for further promoting the application of modular vehicles in public transportation. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to research in transportation and traffic theory, looking forward to bringing more innovations and breakthroughs to future conferences.

About the Research Group

Our research group is dedicated to the study of transportation system optimization, intelligent transportation technologies, and sustainable transportation development. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research methods, we aim to address major challenges in the field of transportation and contribute to the development of more efficient, environmentally friendly, and intelligent transportation systems.