Trainings with a high-tech driving simulator

CIVITAS MODERN, 08.11.2011

The urban public transport operator of Coimbra, SMTUC, is committed to ensuring continuous driver education on a state-of-the-art simulator. This is to reduce traffic accidents by 5 percent and bring down fuel consumption. 

On 11 October SMTUC and INDRA, one of the globally leading companies in information technology, has signed the contract for the acquisition of a high-tech driving simulator for the SMTUC Driver Training Centre in Coimbra.

The investment of nearly half-a-million Euro presents several innovations for passenger transport training in Portugal, namely the dynamic simulation of passenger’s reaction and the simulation of trolleybuses.

With the new driving simulator, the training centre can now offer driver trainings for  large vehicles, such as public transport vehicles. This meets the European Directive 2003/59 that makes initial and continuous driver education mandatory and recommends state-of-the-art simulators.

Due to the reduction in costs and the optimisation of the existing resources as real buses that were used for trainings are now available again, it is foreseen that the simulator will help to significantly raise the number of training courses and trainees.

One of the main objectives is to reduce the rate of SMTUC driver traffic accidents by 5 percent. Other benefits are significant savings in fuel consumption, less pollution, increased safety, and better driving quality, which will ultimately contribute to an increase passenger comfort.

The driving simulator will be equipped with a dynamic cabin, three external film screens permitting an “all around simulation”, and a complete trainee monitoring system with external control and intervention capabilities. The driving simulator allows for:

• Real life dimensions and equipment of the cockpit;
• Real time dynamic reactions to driving conditions;
• Virtual reproduction of real driving conditions with high quality graphics, including the simulation of trolleybuses;
• Possibility of changing the initial traffic and environmental conditions at any time of the training exercise;
• Simulation of unexpected occurrences;
• Data storage of driver/ trainee performance including virtual fuel consumption; and
• Initial training of new drivers or continuous training courses.

 

The training in the driver simulator will be done by SMTUC instructors, at least in the first phase that will involve the local bus fleet drivers. Promotional campaigns directed to other public transport operators will be carried out to broaden the group of drivers that can benefit from safety and eco-driving training.

Contact

Da Vinha Luis