OREANDA-NEWS. Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), of an on-demand transport technology that responds to the various needs of transport users while improving profits for transport service operators.

As cities across the world seek to reinvent themselves from the perspective of sustainability, taking into account both the environment and aging populations, there is a clear awareness of the need to create a transport infrastructure for everyday life that does not rely on the excessive use of private cars. While local transportation services involving buses running on regular routes and taxis have been available, an issue has been how to meet diverse user needs while increasing profitability for transport service operators.

Fujitsu Laboratories and MIT have developed an on-demand transport technology that dynamically assigns the same vehicle to a different mode of transportation, such as either a taxi or ride-share car, depending on demand. This allows users to choose their mode of transportation among several options, and also improves the profitability of fleet operators.

In a simulation experiment conducted in a Tokyo suburb, the proposed system was found to increase service operator profits by as much as 80% above conventional methods.

This technology will be exhibited at Fujitsu Forum 2014, running May 15-16 at Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo.