Infrastructure Planning for the Electrification of Public Transit Systems: Cases in Urban Air Mobility, Robotaxis, and Buses

Abstract: 

In the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the transition toward electric and shared mobility systems is widely recognized as a sustainable solution. Among them, deploying electric vehicles in public transit can create synergies that enhance both environmental and social benefits. However, their operations and planning must address the distinctive challenges of electrification, including batteries, charging systems, and supporting infrastructure, in addition to the inherent constraints of public transit. This seminar explores planning problems for electric public transit across three modes: urban air mobility, robotaxis, and buses. These problems are formulated within an optimization framework that incorporates key planning and operational factors specific to each mode’s unique characteristics. Case studies conducted in cities such as Seoul and San Francisco illustrate the proposed optimal planning methods.

Biography:
Dr. Jinwoo Lee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). His research focuses on sustainable and intelligent transportation infrastructure systems, with emphasis on planning for shared, autonomous, and electric mobility, AI-driven infrastructure management, and climate change adaptation. Beyond academia, he extends his expertise into practice as Director of Technology Innovation at Studio Galilei, a company providing demand-responsive transit services aimed at advancing inclusive mobility solutions, and as Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Rovoroad, which develops AI-robotics-based pavement management technologies. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and his B.S. degree from KAIST. Prior to joining KAIST, he worked as a postdoctoral associate at New York University Abu Dhabi and as a research assistant professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.