Newsletter 2024
The year 2024 marks a decisive phase for the MCube Cluster: the end of the first funding period. With this in mind, we have invited our 14 projects to report on their goals, challenges and successes in a series of interviews. We are gradually publishing the answers from all projects. We hope you enjoy reading them.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
We have set ourselves the following goals as part of the evaluation: Completion of the second round of process evaluation, including specific project reports and a general cluster report. The impact evaluation of all sub-projects is also on the agenda, as is the preparation of the corresponding reports. Another focus is on the further development of the MCube project dashboard. We have planned the following steps in the area of system development: Carrying out tests and comparing the Mobil-o-Mat with alternative forms of research, implementing the user interface and launching the final version at the end of the project.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
One highlight we are particularly looking forward to this year is the MCube closing event and the TUM Sustainability Day. This is where we will present the results and findings of our work. We are also planning to make the results available to the general public by publishing papers, guidelines and other formats.
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
We are looking forward to presenting our evaluation results, including the Mobil-o-Mat, at mobil.TUM 2024. Otherwise, we are currently still conducting process evaluation workshops and collecting data for the impact evaluation on an ongoing basis.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
We are taking away valuable experience from MCube, in particular the importance of close cooperation between business, science and society and the early involvement of citizens. Special memories include the feedback and response at the IAA 2023, the Speaker Series, the MCube annual kick-off, the Future Mobility Camp 2023 and the citizen workshops. We have learned to focus on innovation and implementation and to integrate the customer perspective right from the start. Munich is proving to be a promising cluster for the future of mobility.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
One of the key objectives is the opening of the test intersection, which represents a significant milestone for our research and development. We will then carry out and evaluate various tests, particularly in the areas of AV-VRU interaction (Automated Vehicle - Vulnerable Road User) and X2X communication (Vehicle-to-Everything). There will also be a final workshop to identify possible further research topics.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
Clearly the opening of the Test crossing!
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
To be honest, our main focus is on the opening of the test junction and we are looking forward to finally starting the planned trials. To this end, we have procured additional test crossing equipment and prepared the test vehicles.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
Setting up a high-tech test field requires a lot of time and resources. In projects that depend on a single milestone such as the opening of the test junction, it is important to have alternatives. After it became clear that the opening of the Test crossing delayed, we set up a temporary test field on the campus of Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and implemented parts of the project in virtual reality (VR) to maintain progress.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
Validation of the urban logistics center through data analysis and process recording in the field (real laboratory).
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
We are particularly looking forward to the project - including a packing challenge - on Sustainability Day on June 12, 2024.
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
Although it is not easy to test and evaluate new concepts and approaches in the parcel service sector in practice, the hybrid validation approach enabled us to ensure that our real-world laboratory will deliver meaningful results.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
Communicating the research results to the people of Munich is at least as important as the concepts themselves to ensure acceptance - which is why the stand at the IAA was a great opportunity to get in touch with different groups of people.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
We still have a lot planned for our final year! We will put the "Competence Center for Real-World Laboratories" and the "Resilience Lab" on a conceptual footing and would like to anchor this in the long term. We would also like to make an updated version of the real-world laboratory map available to the public.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
The upcoming workshops for the Competence Center and the Resilience Lab are a clear highlight. We are also looking forward to making the developed visions for the future accessible to the general public. We are really looking forward to that!
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
Good cooperation with the city administration has been established not only on the topic of living labs, but also on the topic of resilience, enabling the jointly developed findings to also be helpful for the sub-strategies of the Munich Mobility Strategy2035.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
There are probably as many ideas about the future of mobility as there are citizens in Munich - but there are also recurring patterns such as an increased focus on active mobility and urban greenery. And when it comes to innovation and mobility policy, there is also a special drive in Munich to drive forward, try out and demonstrate new mobility technologies and changes to mobility spaces.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
- Publication of the research results
- Analysis and evaluation of the contribution of public transport to services of general interest, based on a case study
- Development and weighting of further benefit components with regard to sustainable spatial development and public transport investments
- Recommendations for improvements to public transport assessment procedures in Germany
- Drafting a policy letter
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
- Presentation of results at the mobilTUM conference in Munich
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
- Scientific article submitted (currently in the review process)
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
- Interdisciplinarity and cooperation between science and practice positive, but also slower than expected
- Research results weaker than expected
- Practical relevance questionable due to high dependence on infrastructure funding logic in German federal administrative structure
- Immense workload at TUM, more precise formulation of work packages and responsibilities recommended in the future
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
We are working diligently on a professional design for the SASIM online tool (full cost calculator) in order to make the findings from the project easy to understand, appealing and informative for the general public. We also want to prepare scientific findings and identify practical applications for the full-cost approach.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
The launch of our revised online tool!
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
We are receiving interest in the topic of full costs from various directions. This shows that the topic is relevant for politics, planning and society and motivates us to develop concrete use cases and products (e.g. planning and evaluation tools) as prototypes.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
(Phew, great question!) One important experience is certainly working in an interdisciplinary team at the interface between science, business and society - challenging and enriching at the same time!
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
Our trial implementation of the car sharing model in the real laboratory in Nymphenburg ends at the end of March. After that, the data will be evaluated and scaled up to city level.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
Yes, evaluation and scaling of the data: This determines the potential impact of the project.
3. what are the latest developments in your project?
Is there a success story you would like to share?
We have only heard positive feedback from our participants about the project and the car sharing model. The most frequent point of criticism was the lack of a trailer coupling. If this were available, many would replace their private car with a car sharing subscription.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
Hands-on implementation projects contain many stumbling blocks, but these are precisely the points that really get in the way of realizing ideas and need to be solved. That is why it is so important to carry out such projects.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
In 2024, we will be testing our software stack for autonomous driving very intensively, optimizing the algorithms step by step and training our neural networks with recorded data. To do this, we will use our virtual test environment to validate all functions in the simulation and then carry out test drives with EDGAR, our research vehicle.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
Our big highlight is clearly the Oktoberfest 2024, where we will be presenting our autonomous shuttle. We are working hard towards this day, where we will enable the people of Munich to take a seat in our test vehicle and experience a safe, fully autonomous ride through the hectic streets surrounding the world's biggest folk festival.
3. what are the latest developments in your project? Is there a success story you would like to share?
In recent months, we have managed to put our own software for the autonomous vehicle on EDGAR into operation and we were able to carry out the first autonomous test drives on a test track. In addition, we will soon receive our license for public road traffic, which will allow us to carry out the first test drives on the roads in and around Munich.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
MCube enables us to conduct cutting-edge research in the field of autonomous driving while always maintaining a clear focus on how this technology can improve our mobility in practice. We also find the cross-cluster exchange on the social implications of such mobility innovations very special and enriching.
1. what goals have you set for the final funding year and what projects are still on the agenda?
In the final year of the STEAM research project, the results will be tested in both a dynamic and a static real laboratory. On the one hand, the semi-flexible routing will be tested together with the ride-parcel-pooling approach including user interaction and real rides, and on the other hand, the virtual future prototype will be physically implemented and evaluated with passers-by.
2. is there a highlight that you are particularly looking forward to this year?
The real laboratory and its results are certainly the most exciting thing we can expect this year. Here we get real feedback on a real system.
3. what are the latest developments in your project?
We successfully accompanied and coached 5 teams in the TechChallenge of UnternehmerTUM, which worked at the interface between logistics, local transportation and passengers. In addition to the prize we awarded for the best team within the batch, our challenge also won the audience award.
4. what experiences and memories do you take away from MCube?
We have learned a lot in the last two years, but above all the challenge of bringing all stakeholders together and driving the project forward within this field of tension.
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