German mobility and logistics software company PTV Group and South Africa’s Stellenbosch University have signed a memorandum of understanding to underpin their joint commitment to innovation in smart and sustainable mobility.
PTV Group will support research and development at the Stellenbosch Smart Mobility Laboratory (SSML) with its software solutions for transportation modeling and simulation, and the two partners will also collaborate closely on mobility and intelligent transport system projects.
As part of SU’s Faculty of Engineering, the SSML focuses on technology solutions and data applications for transportation engineering. The SSML provides a state-of-the-art research and teaching environment for the development of innovative and cost-effective transportation solutions for developing countries. With access to PTV’s transport modelling and simulation software PTV Visum and PTV Vissim, students can conduct their mobility studies under realistic transportation planning conditions, and thus become better prepared for their future working environments.
SSML wants to make Stellenbosch the first transport-orientated “smart city” in South Africa. The University and PTV are working closely together and with the Stellenbosch Municipality on a project to coordinate traffic signals in the town in real-time, to reduce congestion. For this project, the SSML uses a PTV transport model for testing and calibrating the adaptive traffic signal control systems in the town, which are also based on PTV software.
“Stellenbosch University and the PTV Group have maintained a close relationship for many years,” says Christian Haas, CEO of PTV Group. “I am pleased that we can now give this an official framework with the signing of the memorandum of understanding. Our joint project with the Stellenbosch Municipality shows how fruitful this partnership already is. Together we will empower cities in South Africa on their way to smart, sustainable mobility.”
Dr Johann Andersen, Associate Professor of Intelligent Transportation Systems at Stellenbosch University adds: “I’m very excited that we now have this arrangement with PTV Group. Our students benefit from the software of the industry leader when learning, working, and researching in the SSML. This enables them to do realistic transportation planning and makes them sought-after transportation planners and engineers on graduation.”
Images: PTV Group
