The vision for Germany as a cycling country in 2030 is clearly defined: "In 2030, cycling is natural and diverse. [...] The bicycle is the vehicle of choice on more and more routes - in everyday life and for recreation." [National Cycling Plan 3.0, 2021] This vision should apply to everyone in Germany, not just those living in flat regions.

Unfortunately, the data is also clear: "The topography of the place of residence has a high influence on bicycle use, which can be explained simply: The greater the differences in height in the residential environment, the less frequently the bicycle is used." [MiD: Analyses of Bicycle Traffic and Pedestrian Traffic] In order to achieve the goals set forth in NRVP 3.0, it is essential to find innovative solutions, both in terms of bicycle technology and bicycle traffic planning, that make bicycle use an attractive option even in regions with steep hills.

The TiptoP project addresses precisely this need: knowledge is being collected for further development of electric drives with the aim of optimally supporting cyclists in hilly and flat regions. Furthermore, behavioral models for microscopic traffic simulation are specified, implemented and evaluated, which natively consider the inclination behavior. All data, results, models, and simulation software will be publicly available upon completion of the project.

In the project consortium, the two participating partners will link industry and science. As a leading German company for complete bikes, bike components and equipment, bc GmbH will support the technical implementation of the project. The Chair of Bicycle Traffic at the University of Wuppertal has the long-term goal of developing planning tools specifically designed for bicycle traffic. The results will create the basis for a new, openly accessible planning tool that can be continuously developed further in the Chair of Bicycle Traffic.

The bicycle simulator will be used to analyze the behavior of cyclists on bicycles without additional propulsion on selected routes in specific city quarters. For this purpose, the routes will be simulated in virtual reality and then ridden by the test persons with the bicycle simulator. In the virtual test environment, different scenarios can be tested safely and under uniform conditions for all test persons.

• Improved simulation-based planning tools for cycling infrastructure taking into account topography: the developed behavioral models will be linked to the open-access software SUMO. This results in an effective open tool that can support infrastructure planning worldwide.
   
• Optimized support profiles for pedelec drive control: Basic knowledge on bicycle technology requirements is published with in-depth descriptions and all relevant data. This will enable the international bicycle industry to develop drive technology that will carry the psychological component of cycling forward beyond the physical support.
   
• Improving the education of future professionals: both the methodological expertise for data collection and the scientific findings as well as the simulation tool will be part of the teaching in the planned master's program "Cycling Futures" and other degree programs at BUW.
   
• Openly available data: The data obtained in the project describing the riding behavior of cyclists under different topographic conditions (e.g., route choice, cadence, power, level of physical exertion for a representative sample of cyclists) will be made available.

BMDV - Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport

01. May 2022 to 31. October 2024

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heather Kaths
kaths[at]uni-wuppertal.de
+49 (0)202 / 439 4433

M. Sc. Danil Belikhov
belikhov[at]uni-wuppertal.de
+49 (0)202 / 439 4432

Further information on the project can be found on the pages of the Mobilitätsforum Bund.

https://www.mobilitaetsforum.bund.de/SiteGlobals/Forms/Suche/Wissenspool_Formular.html?expertensucheTyp_str=allprojects

The project is being worked on together with bc GmbH