Immense has announced a new, easy to use, cloud-based simulation platform that enables a fleet manager to determine how many vehicles are needed to provide a service over an area in minutes.

Immense’s software solution allows fleets to reimagine the future of towns and cities, while taking proactive steps to enhance transport and infrastructure

The new innovative platform, built by simulation company Immense, uses a combination of digital replicas of real cities and their respective, accurately modelled populations to enable users to rapidly generate multiple scenarios and measure their impact in minutes.

The software has been co-created in partnership with some of the world’s biggest automotive manufacturers, fleet managers, transport authorities, infrastructure operators and energy providers, Immense added.

“Fleet” is the first application being made available on the Immense platform.

Fleet subscribers can virtually test how many vehicles would be needed in a city for a viable fleet business, identify where to set up depots, as well as evaluate service performance from a customer’s perspective in 100+ digital cities around the world immediately.

Cities range from London and Milton Keynes, to New York and San Francisco. For example, what if a fleet of shared electric minibuses is deployed in New York to serve Monday morning commuters? Or how can we get shoppers home if the public transit network in San Francisco hits capacity? The wider impact of the proposed plans can also be quickly assessed, enabling authorities to make wiser decisions about how to support roll-out plans and permissions.

The company also shared that it plans to release follow on applications covering regional transport planners and infrastructure providers in the coming months.

The software also offers wider implications, such as being able to better tackle congestion and poor air quality. As new environmental policies drive the transition to low-emission fleets, service providers need to assess how and where to transition to greener vehicles, ensuring a cleaner, healthier environment for the public and maximum efficiency for the business.

If London imposes greater restrictions on high emission vehicles, how many electric vehicles would be needed to maintain the same level of service, Immense asks? And where would be the best places for e-mobility charging hubs? Immense says its software solution can help address these issues.

Immense co-founder and CEO, Robin North explained, “We’re excited to be launching this next generation of capability onto our platform in response to increasing demands to adapt our transportation systems. You no longer have to guess the impact of unprecedented situations in the world of transportation. We can go beyond backwards-facing analytics to generate alternative ‘tomorrows’ that consider emerging business models, technology, and behavioural change – taking away the risk of expensive assumptions and sunk costs. We believe that 2020 will be the year that automotive manufacturers, fleet operators and policy makers will take the change in status quo and collaborate to help make transportation better for everyone – across the globe”