Eight institutions across the UK, led by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Glasgow, will join forces to create the TransiT Hub, supported by a £46 million investment from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and 67 partners.

The Hub will use sensors attached to critical infrastructure, such as roads, railways and shipping, to create digital twins, dynamic virtual replicas of real-world objects. These will allow data to be analysed in near real-time, testing scenarios and offering solutions for improvements to the physical world.

Researchers say the digital twins will allow for testing how parts of a future decarbonised transport system work that don’t even exist yet, for example electric road systems and alternative fuels.

Speeding up the way systems are tested could also help to identify the lowest-cost pathways to net zero emissions, such as through helping logistics companies to identify the most sustainable routes, vehicle types and journey times. 

The plans could even help reduce carbon emissions on motorways through digital road signs with information on the shortest route out of traffic jams.

These digital twins could be personalised, too. According to TransiT Hub specialists, digital twin assistants will be able to learn preferences and build an understanding of people’s transport requirements to create real-time journey options based on individual needs, budget, and even the weather.

Initial data to build the digital twins will come from TransiT’s industry partners. That data will include the number and types of vehicles, fuel types, load sizes, and length of routes across the country.

These partners, who are providing £26 million in support, come from across the digital, energy and transport sectors, including transport operators, vehicle makers, and technology companies.

Commenting on the announcement, TransiT joint director Professor David Flynn, from the University of Glasgow, said: “We will explore how digital twinning can improve the design of future transport solutions, to ensure services are accessible to all.  

“It’s challenging for designers and engineers today to appreciate the perspective of citizens with mobility challenges and what they experience throughout the full journey. If we can create and embed new design principles, we can identify equitable pathways to decarbonisation.”

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Each university in the TransiT Hub will focus on specific research areas. The University of Glasgow will work on building digital twinning and cyber physical systems, using the university’s Energy and Sustainability and Communication, Sensing and Imaging research group. 

Meanwhile, academics at Heriot-Watt will work on logistics and freight using research from the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and The Centre for Logistics and Sustainability.

Speaking on the project, Feryal Clark, Minister for AI and Digital Government, said: “On top of saving the public time and money on the journeys they take day-to-day, this project will also harness the power of transformative digital technologies to cut carbon emissions – demonstrating the incredible impact technology can have in improving our public services, tackling climate change, and beyond.”

Digital twin technology is rapidly becoming an important tool for work in decarbonisation across the UK. Most recently, Scottish-headquartered climate tech company, IES, has created a digital twin of the Stirling & Clackmannanshire, creating an energy masterplan for the region to become carbon-neutral.

Other institutions involved in the new TransiT Hub project include Durham University, UCL, Cranbridge University, and the Universities of Cambridge, Leeds and Birmingham.