Abstract. The paper presents the issue of modelling the system of the PRT vehicle -track. The PRT -Personal Rapid Transit concept is defined as an innovative transport system composed of small vehicles (3-5 persons) moving on the light infrastructure situated at a height of above 5 meters above the ground. This is a system that combines the features of individual and public transport. An important feature of this system is the implementation of the transport approach known as the 'point to point' rule that is to say between the initial and the final stop the vehicle does not stop at the intermediate stops. The vehicle has no driver. Routing choice and collision avoidance are performed through a complex computer system.

Abstract.Here we present one of the more complex models for studying the stability of driving an electric car with electromechanical differential systems. The purpose of simulation is to choose a structure of the control system for a velocity control on driven wheels (an algorithm of a differential) most appropriate for the driver. This type of goal is particularly important in the case of a disabled driver sitting in a wheelchair. The modeling takes into account both the mechanical and electric structure of the vehicle, and finally the human element -a simple model of human impact on the steer by a wire system. Modeling and simulation have used MBS package (SimMechanics). The results of the simulation have showed the best algorithms of an electromechanical differential for the velocity control of rear drive wheels: with setting a velocity difference or with an average velocity controller in the point A of the centre of a car front axle.

Article citation info: (*) Tekst artykułu w polskiej wersji językowej dostępny w elektronicznym wydaniu kwartalnika na stronie www.ein.org.pl the framework of the ECO Mobility project. This project has not yet been implemented for transport applications but has nevertheless been tested on a test track for scale vehicles. A fragment of track in scale was recently presented at the Hannover Fair at the SciTech Poland "scientific" Polish stand [7,28].The already mentioned power supply is a contactless, dynamic power system, which means that it can deliver energy to the vehicle in motion as opposed to stationary systems where energy is delivered only when the vehicle is stationary. The drive motor is a linear induction motor. This system solution illustrates one of the many possibilities that can be applied to the driving and powering of this type of vehicle. The power supply can also be made as a contact one with power points at parking places. Propulsion motors can be made as brushless, induction and wheeled or as central units. On the other hand, the contactless power supply has the advantage of being a safe system [23,30]. The supply energy is transmitted inductively from the primary winding distributed along the track -similarly to the third rail in the metro. The fundamental difference between the contact supply by means of the third rail and the contactless induction is that the contact rail "power" is isolated and thus safe.

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This publication provides a discussion concerning research aimed to analyse running properties of PRT vehicles. A PRT vehicle is guideway vehicle equipped with rubber-tyred wheels, running on a flat subgrade guideway of special design. The guideway cross-section is similar to that of a C-shaped beam with two outer limiting edges. This specific design characteristic of the running system of PRT vehicles distinguishes them from typical rail vehicles, where the latter can move along the track by the action of a unit referred to as the centring mechanism, operating at the contact of profiled wheels with the running rail head. In a PRT vehicle, the typical railway centring mechanism has been removed and substituted with a system of outer and inner rollers, forming what is referred to as a passive switch system, responsible for carrying the vehicle along the guideway and within the boundaries delimited by its edges by the action of the rollers' contact forces. Compared to railway infrastructure, this system is characterised by different dynamic properties, and it has not been sufficiently researched yet. The goal of this article is to analyse motion stability of a PRT vehicle with a passive switch system and having the following structural features: wheel sets with beams turning against the vehicle body and independently revolving wheels, non-turning rubber-tyred and non-profiled wheels rolling on a flat surface, and a set of outer and inner rollers performing the passive switch system's functions. The paper describes a PRT vehicle simulation model. It has been assumed that the model's design and parameters describe a scaled vehicle/guideway system whose physical model is actually set at a laboratory testing station on premises of the Warsaw University of Technology. The article provides results of simulation studies of motion stability pertaining to the following characteristics: radial positioning, yawing, sticking to the guideway edge, self-excited vibrations of wheel sets as well as free vibrations. It also discusses results of an analysis of sensitivity of the model's parameters against selected control parameters (model's design parameters) and assessment indicators which describe the intensity of the yaw type torsional vibrations of wheel sets. The article closes with a discussion on the potential to use the results of the tests conducted under the study on the scaled vehicles in question for purposes of vehicles of real-life dimensions.

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The subject of this article is the design of a nonstandard steering system in cars. The applied methodology takes into account universal design, ensuring the greatest possible adaptation of the steering system to potential users, and at the same time, thanks to the specific nature of the designed steering device, it also assumes a special approach allowing for individual adjustment of the steering system to the needs and limitations of drivers with lower-limb disabilities. It is implemented through the “custom design” methodology. This article presents the impact of the design features of the multifunction steering wheel on the correctness of driving, as well as the level of load on selected muscles of the upper limbs responsible for operating the steering wheel. The tests were carried out on a dynamic simulator of a motor vehicle using the electromyography (EMG) technique, which enables the measurement of muscle load. A systemic approach to training and verifying the skills of drivers using new HMI solutions is proposed.

Abstract. The construction of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicle made within the framework of Eco-Mobility project has been described in the present paper. Key features of the vehicles were identified -e.g. drive with three-phase linear motor with winding on the vehicle and fixed rotor in the road surface, contactless dynamic vehicle powering. Attention was paid to the difference in dynamic properties compared to rail vehicles, related to the lack of the so-called 'centering mechanism' . A development of a nominal model for the analysis of vehicle drive properties was presented.Results of simulation studies were presented for a vehicle with running-drive system construction, planned for implementation in the city of Rzeszów (Poland). While discussing the problems of building a PRT system, there was a focus on the issue of determining power and traction of the vehicle. A methodology for determining the power and traction energy consumption of the vehicle was presented for assumed conditions of travel on road segments. Input values for the calculation of power are variables describing the curvature (or bends radii) of paths of movement between stops and the course of the current speed. Output values are total traction power or traction energy (where 'traction' refers to the power or mechanical work of drive forces). Three basic elements of traction power were isolated: the power of kinetic energy (for acceleration/delay of vehicle movement) basic (to offset the aerodynamic force of motion resistance at constant speed) and additional losses (to offset additional motion resistance forces operating in turns at constant speed). Due to the lack of vehicle prototypes with assumed structure, it was proposed that these components are determined via simulation. The presented results relate to the calculation of demand for power and energy for the planned test section. The scope of further work was indicated: determining the required traction characteristics of electric drive, selecting the best values for supercapacitor's capacity in the drive system, determining the technical parameters of substation.