EngD in Systems Research helps safety of Personal Rapid Transit Systems

(7 November 2011) - ULTra Global, a UK-based company, has delivered one of the world's first operational Personal Rapid Transit systems at Heathrow airport. PRT is an innovative urban light transport system and research by Dr Alan Peters (a graduate of the IDC in Systems at University of Bristol) is making major contributions by applying systems-based approaches to safety management and the application of simulation techniques to aid complex systems integration.

Dr Peters said:

"A systems engineering approach was fundamental to the design and development of the ULTra Personal Rapid Transit system.  The work started with a requirements specification and passed through the full classic Systems Engineering 'V-model' development process.  Without this approach we would have designed to the wrong user need and thus come up with the wrong solution"