The Institute for Road Engineering (ISAC) at RWTH Aachen University, the city of Aachen and other partner organizations have launched the "SchwarmMessRad" project.

It is intended to help improve air quality and the microclimate in the city of Aachen in the long term. Mobile sensors are attached to the cargo bikes that the city rents out. They record detailed data on particulate matter, surface temperature and ozone in real time.

"With the 'SchwarmMessRad', we are setting an important milestone for a smarter, more sustainable city. By combining mobile data collection and modern AI technology, we can tackle the challenges of urban climate change in a targeted manner and make Aachen even more liveable," says Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen.

Previous measurement methods only provide data at individual selected locations. This makes it difficult to precisely analyze urban environmental pollution. The use of sensors on cargo bikes will create a further measurement network that will identify pollution hotspots in the city, largely across the board and with pinpoint accuracy.

The knowledge gained can be used to develop sustainable mobility routes, optimize urban planning and drive forward necessary climate adaptation measures in Aachen.

The project is being coordinated by the Institute of Road Engineering (ISAC) at RWTH Aachen University and will run until January 2028. It is being funded with around 3.65 million euros. 75 percent of the costs will be covered by the Federal Ministry of Transport.

The city provides its cargo bikes, on which the required sensors are mounted. The cargo bikes are lent to citizens free of charge. Anyone who uses the cargo bikes can actively help with the data collection and ensure that the project is a success. The legal requirements of data protection are taken into account during the survey.

VMZ Berlin Betreibergesellschaft mbH, Füllner & Partner GmbH, RISA Sicherheitsanalysen GmbH and Industrieelektronik Brandenburg GmbH are also involved in the project.

The results of the "SchwarmMessRad" project will be made publicly accessible via the city's mobility dashboard and the data will be made available as open data for further processing by academia, administration and citizens.

Further information on the project and participation can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Transport: https://www.bmv.de/. Registration for cargo bike rental is possible at www.aachen.de/lara.

Contact:

Pablo Plum, Coordination of Cargo Bikes in the Mobility and Transport Department, phone 0241 432-68325, lara@mail.aachen.de