FARI – AI for the Common Good Institute and its research group, the Machine Learning Group (MLG) of Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)—are collaborating with the Brussels– Capital Region on an innovative project on modelling traffic. This comprehensive traffic simulation model is part of the local Digital Twins initiatives and will run for over 12 months, using the Tulipe neighborhood in the Municipality of Ixelles as a case site. 

As the Brussels–Capital Region accumulates large amounts of data from its various administrations, it creates an issue on how to visualize and implement this data at the city or regional level. With this, efforts to create “digital twins,” or virtual representations of real-world objects, have emerged as a solution for managing and protecting data for an effective functioning city. Digital twins use historical and real-time data to represent the past and present and simulate forecasts, which offers a model for urban planning and construction to promote safer, more sustainable and more efficient urban activities. 

Part of this initiative is the “Modelling Traffic” project by the Machine Learning Group (MLG) of ULB and FARI, which aims to develop a comprehensive traffic simulation model for the Tulipe neighborhood of Ixelles. This project addresses the challenge of providing traffic management experts with smarter methods to plan and schedule roadworks, optimize traffic flows, avoid congestion, and reduce the carbon footprint by incorporating real and synthetic data from partners like Brussels Mobilité, STIB/MVIB, Paradigm, Osiris, and ETRO-VUB (Electronics and Informatics research group of Vrije Universiteit Brussel).