The independence of children with cognitive impairments is vital for successful social integration. As emerging technological advancements, autonomous buses possess significant potential in this regard. The study aims to investigate the potential of autonomous buses to support children with mild cognitive impairments in attaining increased independence during their travels. To achieve this goal, two studies were conducted to gather comprehensive data: an analysis of videos provided by the ASALL project and a focus group study involving Skelleftea municipality workers. The study findings shed light on the challenges and needs of children with cognitive impairments during their trips and offer suggestions for how autonomous buses could provide support to increase their independence. It also highlights the importance of considering human factors while designing technology products and emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts combining technological and human support to enhance the independence of children with cognitive impairments. In addition, insights from people familiar with children with cognitive impairments can provide valuable guidance to researchers and designers when creating other technology products.

There is rapid development in the transportation field. Soon, along with the rapid population growth, there will be a change in the mobility pattern. To prepare the different travel demand, there are several new advanced technologies that are on the development process such as the electrification of the vehicle, the micro-mobility service, and the automation of the vehicle. The latter subject is the main focus of this research. The main objective of this research is to observe and analyze the development of a new model to provide a tool for the analysis of the public transport system and the analysis of different scenarios related to the degree of development of automated vehicles and the characteristics of the area of service and demand. The network design in this research is a hybrid concept developed by Carlos Daganzo in 2010 that combines the grid network on the central area and radial network on the peripheral area. In the central area, there is two intersecting public transit (bus and metro). In contrast, on the peripheral area, a feeder bus will provide the service for the passengers and also there will be two feeder alternatives, namely fixed route and door to door. The objective function of the optimization is to minimize the total cost regarding the available decision variables. The total cost is consist of agency cost (infrastructure length, total vehicle distance travelled, total vehicle hours travelled) and user cost (waiting time, access time, in-vehicle time) and the minimization process need to follow the constraint of headway, spacing, and vehicles capacity. Based on the base optimization, the most optimum value for alpha, bus spacing, metro spacing, and inner area length regarding to the total cost is 0.23, 0.2 km, 4 km, and 0.3 km respectively. while the Fixed Route Feeder Service with Full Automation is the most beneficial type of service. It generates the lowest total cost per passenger regarding to any decision variables except feeder spacing due to the different formulation between fixed route and door to door service. On contrary, Door to Door Feeder Service with No Automation has the highest total cost per passenger. The total cost in figure, based on the optimum value for each decision variables. Therefore there is no optimum value for headway considering the trend of the total cost is linear

In the last years the steady development of autonomous driving technology has enabled the deployment of more mature autonomous vehicles. These vehicles have been applied in several pilot projects worldwide, most commonly in the form of small buses. At the same time, the amount of people traveling in especially urban areas is continuously growing, resulting in more trips in the transportation system. An efficient transportation system is therefore required to serve the growing passenger demand. Autonomous buses (AB) are assumed to have lower operational costs and with that public transport (PT) systems can potentially be designed more efficiently to facilitate the increased demand better. In this study, an AB specific simulation-based optimization framework is proposed which allows analyzing the impacts AB have on line-based PT systems. The thesis focuses on the transition from existing PT systems towards line-based PT systems operated partially or exclusively by AB. Existing work on PT service design is extended so that realistic AB systems can be investigated. This is achieved by (i) using AB specific operator cost formulations, (ii) integrating infrastructure costs required for AB operations, (iii) utilizing a dynamic, stochastic and schedule-based passenger assignment model for the simulation of PT networks and by (iv) formulating a multi-objective optimization problem allowing to investigate the stakeholder-specific impacts of AB. In Paper I the effects of AB, concerning service frequency and vehicle capacity, on fixed-line PT networks are investigated. Among other metrics, the changes are evaluated based on differences in level of service and passenger flow. Additionally, the sequential introduction of AB in existing PT systems is studied. The framework addresses a case study in Kista, Sweden. The study confirmed the initial hypothesis that the deployment of AB leads to an increase in service frequency and a marginal reduction in vehicle capacity. Furthermore, it could be seen that the deployment of AB increases the passenger load on AB lines and that passengers can shift from other PT modes towards the AB services. Paper II incorporates a multi-objective heuristic optimization algorithm in the simulation framework. The study investigates changes in transport network design based on the deployment of AB. The differences in user-focused and operator-focused network design are analyzed and the impact of AB on these is quantified. This study is applied to a case study in Barkarby, Sweden where a full-sized, line-based PT network is designed to exclusively operate AB. Among other findings, we show that the autonomous technology reduces the number of served bus stops and reduces the total PT network size. Additionally, average passenger waiting time can be reduced when deploying AB on user-focused PT networks, which in turn leads to a further reduction of user cost. / De senaste årens framsteg inom autonom körteknik har lett till mer mogna autonoma fordon. Dessa fordon har setts tillämpas i flera pilotprojekt över hela världen, oftast i form av små bussar. Samtidigt växer mängden människor som reser, särskilt i stadsområden, kontinuerligt vilket resulterar i fler resor i transportsystemet. Därför krävs ett effektivt transportsystem för att tillgodose det växande antalet passagerare. Autonoma bussar (AB) antas ha lägre driftskostnader och därmed kan system för kollektivtrafik (public transport, PT) potentiellt utformas mer effektivt för att underlätta den ökade efterfrågan bättre. I denna studie föreslås ett AB-specifikt simuleringsbaserat optimeringsramverk som gör det möjligt att analysera effekterna AB har på linjebaserade PT-system. Avhandlingen fokuserar på övergången från befintliga PT-system till linjebaserade PT-system som delvis eller uteslutande drivs av AB. Befintligt arbete med PT-tjänstdesign utvidgas så att realistiska AB-system kan undersökas. Detta uppnås genom att (i) använda AB-specifika operatörskostnadsformuleringar, (ii) integrera infrastrukturkostnader som krävs för AB-verksamhet, (iii) använda en dynamisk, stokastisk och schemabaserad modell för att tilldela passagerare vid simulering av PT-nät samt genom att (iv) formulera ett multifunktionellt optimeringsproblem som gör det möjligt att undersöka AB: s intressespecifika effekter. I artikel I undersöks effekterna av AB, med avseende på servicefrekvens och fordonskapacitet, på fasta linjer i PT-nät. Förändringar utvärderas bland annat utifrån skillnader i servicenivå och passagerarflöde. Dessutom studeras den sekventiella introduktionen av AB i befintliga PT-system. Det föreslagna ramverket tillämpas på en fallstudie i Kista, Sverige. Studien bekräftade den initiala hypotesen att utplaceringen av AB leder till en ökning av servicefrekvensen och en marginell minskning av fordonens kapacitet. Vidare kunde man se att utplaceringen av AB ökar passagerarbelastningen på AB-linjer och att passagerare kan skifta från andra PT-former mot AB-tjänsterna. Artikel II integrerar en multifunktionell heuristisk optimeringsalgoritm i ramverket för simuleringen. Studien undersöker förändringar i transportnätverkets design baserat på implementeringen av AB. Skillnaderna i användarfokuserad och operatörsfokuserad nätverksdesign analyseras och AB: s inverkan på dessa kvantifieras. Denna studie tillämpas på en fallstudie i Barkarby, Sverige, där ett fullstort linjebaserat PT-nät är utformat för att exklusivt driva AB. Vi visar bland annat att den autonoma tekniken reducerar antalet använda busshållplatser och reducerar den totala PT-nätstorleken. Dessutom kan implementeringen av AB på användarfokuserade PT-nät ytterligare förbättra servicenivån främst genom att minska den genomsnittliga väntetiden per passagerare.

Självkörande bussar har börjat implementeras i liten skala, samtidigt som forskning för störresjälvkörande bussar fortsätter, så hur kommer en implementering av självkörande bussar påStockholms innerstads stombussar påverka kollektivtrafiken? Detta kommer göras med hjälpav kapacitet samt utifrån tidigare undersökningar om trygghet. Studien utgår ifrån tvåutredningsalternativ där det ena utgår ifrån att bussen ska köra i eget körfält, och i det andraalternativet kan bussen dela väg med övriga trafikanter. Resultatet visar på att enimplementering av självkörande bussar ger en ökning i resenärer som använder sig avstombussarna i innerstan, medan kapaciteten är relativt oförändrad på bussen på grund avtätare avgångar. Det som är viktigt för att lyckas med implementeringen är att resenärernakänner sig säkra när de reser med bussen. / Autonomous buses have begun to be implemented on a small scale, at the same time asresearch for larger autonomous buses continues, so how will the implementation ofautonomous buses on Stockholm’s inner city trunk buses affect public transport? This will bedone with the help of capacity and based on previous surveys on security. The study isbased on two investigation alternatives. One of which is based on the bus driving on its ownlane, and in the other alternative the bus can share the lane with other passengers. Theresult show that the implementation of autonomous buses gives an increase in passengerwho use the trunk buses in the inner city, while the capacity of the bus is relativelyunchanged due to more frequent departures. What is important for the success of theimplementation is that the passengers feel safe when they travel by bus.

Syftet med rapporten är att undersöka hur autonoma bussar kan tillgängliggöras till barn med mild intellektuell funktionsnedsättning, med utgångspunkt i de autonoma bussar som idag rullar på Campus Valla vid Linköpings Universitet. Föräldrar agerar i detta fall grindvakter, då det är de som bestämmer huruvida de tillåter sina barn att åka med de självkörande bussarna eller inte. För att bemöta föräldrarna undersöktes deras attityder gällande autonoma bussar och hur denna kan förbättras. Även vilka funktioner som bör finnas i autonoma bussar för att öka deras villighet att låta deras barn färdas ensamma i bussarna undersöktes. Intervjuer och en workshop genomfördes med föräldrar, såväl som syskon och skolpersonal för att få en omfattande bild av barn med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Generellt är föräldrarna negativa till att låta deras barn färdas ensamma med dagens autonoma bussar,men ser positivt på framtiden om de utformas med hänsyn till individer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Funktioner som gör att barnen känner sig trygga ombord på bussarna i kombination med inskolning, skapar i sin tur trygghet hos föräldrarna. Detta kan göras genom att implementera befintliga hjälpmedel som barnen använder till vardags, exempelvis Time Timer och bildstöd. Övervakningskameror var också något föräldrarna gemensamt tyckte skulle vara gynnsamt på bussen. De ansåg att de skulle öka tryggheten på bussen på flera vis, både genom att de möjliggör att personal i ett kontrollrum kan övervaka resan men även att de skulle finnas filmbevis ifall något olyckligt sker under bussens färd. Föräldrarnas önskemål mynnades ut i funktionsriktlinjer som är tänkta att implementeras vid utformningav framtidens autonoma bussar. / The purpose of the report is to examine how autonomous buses can be made accessible to children with mild intellectual disabilities and is based on the autonomous buses currently operating at Campus Valla, Linköping University. In this case, parents act as gatekeepers, as they are the ones who determine whether they allow their children to ride the self-driving buses or not. To address parents' concerns, their attitudes towards autonomous buses and how they can be improved were investigated. The report also explores the features that should be present in autonomous buses to increase parents' willingness to let their children travel alone on the buses. Interviews and a workshop were conducted with parents, as well as siblings and school staff, to gain a comprehensive understanding of children with intellectual disabilities. Generally, parents are negative about letting their children travel alone on current autonomous buses but have a positive outlook on the future if they are designed with consideration for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Features that create a sense of security for children on board the buses, combined with practice, in turn, generate a sense of safety for parents. This can be achieved by implementing existing aids that children use in their daily lives, such as Time Timers and visual supports. Surveillance cameras were also something the parents collectively believed would be beneficial on the bus. They believed that cameras would enhance safety on the bus in multiple ways, both by enabling personnel in a control room to monitor the journey, as well as providing video evidence in case of any unfortunate incidents during the bus ride. The parents' preferences resulted in functional guidelines intended to be implemented in the design of future autonomous buses.