Harvesting Road Data with Connected, Electric School Buses

The Future Mobility-funded strategic project, Harvesting Road Data with Connected, Electric School Buses, successfully brought together Univrses from Sweden and Highland Fleets from the USA in a collaborative effort to utilize advanced AI-based sensor technology. By equipping electric school buses with the 3DAI™ City system, the initiative transformed everyday transit vehicles into mobile data harvesters. The project proved that high-frequency road data could be collected automatically and at scale, yielding a new turnkey software solution that reduces the need for manual infrastructure inspections. While the project initially aimed to serve public road authorities, external constraints led to a strategic pivot, uncovering high-value applications for fleet operators—such as monitoring school route safety and identifying causes of vehicle delays.

Highland Fleets' electric school buses operated as active monitors of traffic conditions, assessing road infrastructure and identifying safety risks in real time. This strategic collaboration marked a milestone for Univrses, a Swedish leader in road management solutions, and Highland Fleets, a prominent figure in sustainable mobility from the USA. Together, they demonstrated how connected vehicles equipped with AI-supported sensors can drive innovations in sustainable transportation.

Results and Insights

Over the 12-month period, the project moved from initial field testing to iterative software development, resulting in critical technical advancements and strategic learnings for the mobility sector.

• Automated Data Collection: A key technical achievement was the development of an "auto-start" functionality. This advancement minimized human intervention and reduced the initial friction of harvesting road data. The resulting streamlined, turnkey solution has now been integrated directly into Univrses’ core product offering.
• Strategic Pivot to Fleet Operations: The absence of a public road authority as an end user limited market readiness assessments for the public sector. In response, the project successfully steered toward use cases highly relevant to fleet partners. This shift provided Highland Fleets with actionable operational data, such as identifying the specific road conditions that caused vehicle damage or transit delays.
• Enhanced School Route Safety: Given Highland’s focus on student transportation, the project explored critical safety adaptations. The sensor technology identified promising new applications, including detecting and flagging vehicles that illegally pass buses when stop signs are deployed, as well as identifying dangerous road crossings for children.
• Foundation for Commercialization: The initiative established a verified framework for a long-term strategic partnership. Dialogues regarding scalable business models and high-value use cases between Univrses, Highland Fleets, and external partners are now actively underway.

Long-Term Impact and Value

The project validated the foundational technology required to monitor road environments using existing commercial fleets. Previous deployments of 3DAI™ City technology demonstrated potential cost savings and operational efficiencies, with estimates suggesting that scaling this technology across the extensive US highway network could yield annual savings of nearly $40 million.

Beyond financial and operational benefits, this project highlighted a clear path toward smarter urban infrastructure. By transitioning from manual inspection methods to real-time digital insights, stakeholders can foster a more sustainable transportation ecosystem. This approach directly supports Vision Zero’s goal of reducing road casualties by ensuring road infrastructure is adequately monitored and maintained.