Semi-Autonomous Thin Profile Vehicles (SATV)

This Technical Committee focuses on advancing intelligent and semi-autonomous systems for thin-profile vehicles, including two-wheelers and three-wheelers, which constitute a major share of transportation in Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, etc. These vehicles operate in highly dynamic and less-structured traffic environments and present unique challenges in terms of safety, stability, sensing, and control. The committee emphasizes the integration of sensors, IoT frameworks, AI/ML, and edge computing to enable real-time awareness, decision-making, and safer mobility solutions. It also addresses emerging challenges associated with the rapid growth of electric mobility, including adaptive battery management systems (BMS), energy efficiency, and low-power intelligent computing. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the committee aims to develop scalable, deployment-ready solutions through research, prototyping, and real-world validation, contributing to advancements in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).

The goal of this Technical Committee is to develop Adaptive Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) and semi-autonomous mechanisms for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, enhancing rider safety and mobility efficiency. It aims to:

1. Enable real-time hazard detection and rider assistance
2. Develop semi-autonomous control frameworks for thin-profile vehicles
3. Integrate IoT, AI/ML, and edge intelligence for smart mobility
4. Design energy-efficient and EV-compatible systems
5. Support scalable deployment and standardization

Activity Plan

The Technical Committee (TC) has planned and is actively working on organizing a range of technical, research, and outreach activities, including:

1. Applying to organize and host workshops at premier conferences such as the IEEE ITSS Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC) and IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV) in 2027.
2. Conducting poster and demonstration sessions at IEEE SOLI and IEEE ICVES during 2026 and 2027 to showcase ongoing research and prototype developments.
3. Organizing a series of IoT-based Autonomous Systems workshops across Southeast Asian countries in 2026 and 2027, leveraging the expertise and network of TC members.
4. Hosting the IEEE ITSS Annual India Meet in December 2026, serving as a platform to engage researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers.
5. Conducting road safety awareness programs for riders of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and transit vehicles through dedicated workshops during the summer of 2027.
6. Developing a Route Selection and Optimization Application integrated with road safety features and a built-in Road and Traffic Quality Indicator (RTQI) to support safer navigation.
7. Designing and prototyping retrofit kits and modular solutions for existing and modified thin-profile and transit vehicles, enabling scalable deployment of ARAS technologies.
8. Standardization Efforts: Ongoing contributions toward the development of standards and best practices in the domain of intelligent and semi-autonomous thin-profile vehicle systems.

Activity Report

The Technical Committee (TC), in collaboration with its active members, has been engaged in a range of research, development, and implementation activities. These include:

1. Vehicle Design Optimization: Development of suitable design modifications for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, shared transit vehicles, and auto-rickshaws, including retrofit solutions for existing platforms.
2. Sensor Integration and Intelligent Systems:
   Design and deployment of sensor-based IoT systems combined with AI/ML-driven real-time computing for enhanced situational awareness and decision-making.
3. Traffic and Road Quality Analytics:
   Comprehensive analysis of traffic conditions and their integration with road quality assessment across diverse operational environments.
4. Recommendation and Predictive Systems:
   Development of intelligent recommendation frameworks and predictive models to support safer and more efficient mobility.
5. Real-Time Control and Semi-Autonomous Systems: Implementation of real-time control mechanisms and exploration of semi-autonomous driving capabilities tailored for different categories of thin-profile vehicles.
6. Energy Efficiency and EV Integration:
   Investigation of power requirements and low-power system design, with a focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and adaptive energy management.
7. Prototyping and System Integration: End-to-end development of prototypes, including hardware-software integration and field validation.