Vehicle Development History
An initial design sketch of the Heathrow ULTra vehicle
ULTra became a physical reality at the start of the new millennium, with the company’s first prototype vehicle beginning testing in mid 2001, and by 2003 the company was operating 4 prototype vehicles:
- Demonstration vehicle for static exhibitions
- Demonstration vehicle fully equipped and approved for operation with passengers on the trials site at Cardiff
- 2 engineering mule vehicles to develop control software and hardware
The company’s first ‘A’ vehicle started testing in May 2001, with initial testing at the company's Avonmouth trials site in June 2001. Testing continued on the Cardiff trials site through to June 2002. This vehicle was then redesignated as an engineering test vehicle and has been used since that time for vehicle and control system development. A second ‘A’ vehicle was also made available for Engineering test development in September 2002.
The first ‘B’ vehicle, with a fully representative passenger compartment and automatic door system, was completed in February 2002 and has undergone extensive testing on the Cardiff trials site. Total test time to date is over 1000 hours during which the vehicles have traveled a test distance of over 2000 km.
In July 2003, the ULTra PRT-developed navigation software and hardware was installed in the ‘B’ vehicle, and testing of this vehicle was carried out between that time and the end of September 2004. During this period, the ‘B’ vehicle was tested over 294 hours and traveled the equivalent of over 3000 journeys with no equipment or operational failures being recorded.
Further vehicle system and debris testing has been carried out at Cardiff using the ‘A’ vehicle fitted with upgraded sensors and debris deflectors. This vehicle has also been used to develop the berthing techniques, equipment settings and improved algorithms for the control software.
In late 2005, ULTra PRT approached a number of design engineering companies to assist in the evolution of the ‘B’ vehicle concept into the vehicle that would operate as part of the Heathrow system. From these, ARRK Research were selected and in early 2006 they began the process of turing the prototype ‘B’ vehicle concept into a production reality.
Vehicle development utilized an automotive Gateway project approach.
The exterior style of the vehicle was developed in collaboration by ULTra PRT, ARRK and Jones Garrard Move (Industrial and Transport Design specialists) and was signed off by all parties (including BAA) in late 2006.
In parallel, a series of development test vehicles were built to validate certain specific engineering design areas. In particular the crash structures of the vehicle and the FWD powertrain system. These vehicles were completed by early 2007 and underwent extensive testing at Cardiff.
Having successfully validated the engineering prototype vehicles, development proceeded with the construction of three “proof of concept” demonstrators. These vehicles embodied the styling and engineering design intent for the vehicle exterior, door system and mechanical structures but did not include the final customer specific interior design for Heathrow.
With feedback from tests carried out on these three vehicles, work started in 2008 to build the fleet of vehicles needed for Heathrow. Once delivered, these were then the subject of an intensive validation process that will ensure safe and reliable service at Heathrow.
Demonstration to a wide range of technical and customer teams has provided over a thousand people with direct experience of the ULTra system, with unanimously positive response. Their feedback has helped ULTra PRT refine the vehicle's performance and appearance to ensure an excellent passenger experience and client satisfaction.
