QC Mobility

Mobility is undergoing major change: new technologies and intelligent transport systems are creating challenges in a short space of time that are not entirely foreseeable. In addition, climate change requires energy efficiency, for example in the control of routes and traffic flows, in demand-orientated transport or in the logistics sector. The problems selected in QCMobility are issues that are already highly relevant today and will become even more important in the future due to more flexible or highly automated transport systems. Here, quantum computing can provide new concepts that offer a quantum advantage in solving multidimensional optimisation problems, for example. The use of these methods must be trialled in the near future in order to support a transformation in the field of mobility.

Projekt goals

• We are researching the potential of quantum computers for highly relevant and critical application problems in mobility in air transport, road transport, rail transport, maritime transport and intermodal transport
• We develop toy models and customised quantum algorithms
• We implement demonstration problems on quantum computing hardware at the DLR innovation centres
• We are creating a roadmap for the use of quantum computing for mobility problems

Applications in the field of air traffic

Investigation of tactical and strategic use cases:

• Tactical optimisation: includes short-term trajectory planning on the day of the flight event based on predictable planning information such as MET data or airspace events.

• Strategic optimisation: relates to longer-term planning steps such as network and fleet planning, as well as rotation and crew planning.

Project consortium

QCMobility is a joint project of the following DLR institutes:

• Institute of Air Transport
• Institute of Transport Research
• Institute of Transportation Systems
• Institute of Systems Engineering for Future Mobility
• Institute of Quantum Technologies