Secure GPS guidance

Launched on March 18 at the world premiere at Le Nouveau Vulcania (France), the Omega Ride - signed jointly by the French and Loftus Robosoft - marks a small revolution in the field of electric vehicles. Its GPS is undoubtedly an important innovation in people transport.

The VolcanBul, by its current name, heads a commented one kilometer tour amidst the Auvergne Volcanoes. Equipped with a small GPS antenna it travels without a driver according to a pre-programmed route. Its geo-positioning system affords an accuracy of 1 to 2 cm, compared with 5 to 15 meters for a car GPS. Another advantage the GPS is that it renders unnecessary the refurbishing of traditional roads, unavoidable for automatic wired or laser solutions.

But, what are the risks associated with the absence of a driver? The question arises, especially when the route is not entirely dedicated to vehicles, as is the case at Vulcania. Where no barriers prevent pedestrians’ access to the road. “It is a constraint which imposed additional security, says Yann Tranlong, CEO of Loftus. In addition, The Omega ride is equipped with a laser sensor set to stop the vehicle within a meter of a possible obstacle. In such an event, the tour-guide himself must restart the vehicle. In a dedicated area, everything could simply be remotely managed.”

To guard against any eventuality, VolcanBul also has an “active” bumper. It consists of a foam combined embedded with sensors (including those used in the Airbus assembly line). When the bumper meets with an obstacle it deforms to cushion the impact before resuming its original shape. This prevents even the slightest human injury and in the case of a hard obstacle prevents passenger seating area damage.

Tailor-made platforms

In regards to autonomy, the vehicle can drive for 10 hours thanks to three groups of new generation lead acid batteries which recharge overnight. “Vulcania has opted for lead which is more economical, but one can install all types of batteries. In order to board as many batteries as possible, and allow for better autonomy, we hunted down weight in the passenger area. That's why we preferred aluminum to steel for the structure and chose polycarbonate instead of glass for the windows.”

Furthermore, the “smart” battery level indicator blocks the vehicle before it leaves if it has insufficient autonomy to make the whole journey. Maintenance requires no special care. The vehicle was conceived to minimize maintenance.

In the end, it was designed to match the expectations of Vulcania. Indeed, though the Omega Ride fills its role as tourist train at Vulcania, it is first and foremost a fully customizable transport platform, in regards to both, guidance and scenography. Whether Indoors or outdoors, or in a 4x4 configuration, it can roll on a scenic route and interact with other elements driven by a show controller. “The vehicle can be customized for all types of businesses, concludes Yann Tranlong. It is the function the vehicle fills which determines the technical solution applied, not the reverse.”