Cardiff Met Research Shows How Smart Vehicles Could Power the Smart Cities of the Future

Smart vehicles could do far more than transport people, according to new research from Cardiff Metropolitan University which shows how their computing power, sensors, connectivity and batteries could help cities become smarter, greener and more responsive.

Researchers from Cardiff Met, working with colleagues from Cardiff University, the University of the West of England and Beirut Arab University, have developed a new framework that transforms connected and intelligent vehicles into valuable resources for smart cities.

The study introduces Connected and Intelligent Vehicular Systems as Resources (CI-VSaR), a framework that enables cities to harness capabilities already built into modern vehicles, including onboard computers, cameras, sensors, communication systems and batteries.

Rather than functioning solely as a means of transport, connected, autonomous and electric vehicles could become part of a city-wide network supporting services such as traffic management, environmental monitoring, public safety, emergency communications, energy storage and distributed computing.

Professor Issam Damaj, Head of Computer Science at Cardiff Met said:

"Modern vehicles contain a remarkable range of technologies that are often underused. Our research shows that by treating vehicles as part of a broader smart city ecosystem, we can unlock capabilities that support citizens, communities and public infrastructure.

"The vision is to move beyond seeing vehicles simply as transportation assets. The computing power, communications capabilities, sensors and energy resources already available in many vehicles could help address real urban challenges, from traffic congestion and sustainability to public safety and energy resilience.

"Our findings demonstrate that this approach is both technically feasible and scalable. Importantly, we have focused on ensuring that people remain at the heart of these systems by balancing technological performance with human needs and expectations."

Researchers tested the concept using simulations involving 1,000 vehicles operating within a smart city environment. The results demonstrated that the system could successfully identify available vehicle resources, allocate them efficiently and maintain high levels of service quality.

While further real-world testing will be required, the researchers believe the framework provides a foundation for future smart city services that make better use of existing resources while improving sustainability and quality of life.

The research was conducted by Professor Issam Damaj and Dr Fiona Carroll of Cardiff Metropolitan University, alongside Professor Mehmet E. Aydin of the University of the West of England, Abdallah H. Salem of Beirut Arab University, and Professor Omer Rana of Cardiff University.