Fuel Consumption and Traffic Emissions Evaluation of Mixed Traffic Flow with Connected Automated Vehicles at Multiple Traffic Scenarios

To analyze the impact of different proportions of connected automated vehicles (CAVs) on fuel consumption and traffic emissions, this paper studies fuel consumption and traffic emissions of mixed traffic flow with CAVs at different traffic scenarios. Firstly, the car-following modes and proportional relationship of vehicles in the mixed traffic flow are analyzed. On this basis, different car-following models are applied to capture the corresponding car-following modes. Then, Virginia Tech microscopic (VT-micro) model is adopted to calculate the instantaneous fuel consumption and traffic emissions. Finally, based on three typical traffic scenarios, a basic segment with bottleneck zone, ramp of the freeway, and signalized intersection, a simulation platform is built based on Python and SUMO to obtain vehicle trajectory data, and the fuel consumption and traffic emissions in different scenarios are obtained. The results show that (1) In different traffic scenarios, the application of CAVs can reduce fuel consumption and traffic emissions. The higher the penetration rate, the more significant the reduction in fuel consumption and traffic emissions. (2) In the three typical traffic scenarios, the advantages of CAVs are more evident in the signalized intersection. When the penetration rate of CAVs is 100%, the fuel consumption and traffic emissions reduction ratio is as high as 32%. It is noteworthy that the application of CAVs in urban transportation will significantly reduce fuel consumption and traffic emissions.

Smartphones as digital instructional interface devices: the teacher’s perspective

Globally, many nations have put in place policies on technology enhanced teaching and learning in an effort to keep abreast with the rapid advancement in technology. However, the use of technology in education has been slow in many third world countries, inclusive of Zimbabwe. COVID-19 restrictions inadvertently accelerated the adoption of digital instructional interface devices (DIIDs). Smartphones are preferred DIIDs because of their popularity amongst children as well as teachers. However, their successful penetration as DIIDs is largely dependent on teachers’ dispositions as key agents of curriculum implementation. Zimbabwe is known to have a 52% smartphone penetration rate for all citizens. The study was therefore carried out to determine the penetration rate of smartphones in science teachers, and also to probe teachers’ views on learners being allowed unlimited access to smartphones. The study adopted descriptive survey design from a quantitative research approach. Data was collected from 179 science teachers through a self-developed electronic questionnaire that was administered through the Kobo Toolbox online survey application. Results show that the smartphone penetration rate in science teachers is 87%. Multitasking and indecent exposure are the main forms of learner deviance that make teachers more reluctant to accept smartphones as DIIDs. In the presence of school-wide and classroom policies that cater for both merits of smartphone use and ease of policy enforcement, Zimbabwe science teachers are however ready to fully embrace smartphones as useful DIIDs.

Citizens' Use of the Internet and Public Service Delivery

This article examines citizens' use of the Internet as a popular feedback mechanism, and argues that it can help improve institutional performance. Specifically, it assesses the relationship between Internet penetration rate and public service delivery across 31 first-level administrative divisions in People's Republic of China from 1997 to 2014. A hierarchical linear modelling was conducted using secondary data released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Internet Network Information Centre. The result shows a positive relationship between Internet penetration rate and public service delivery when controlling for GDP per capita and education level. The positive relationship increases over time in general. The implications of Internet use for performance-based legitimacy and its impact on political change (or stability) in the authoritarian context are further discussed.

How the Development of FinTech Can Bolster Financial Inclusion Under an Era of Disruptive Innovation?

FinTech provides more inclusive financial services for individual users and companies. China, with the highest penetration rate of online payment around the world, enables individual users to enjoy in-depth inclusive lending services. This chapter will portray and assess FinTech's adoption, challenges, and its potentials to China. Based on previous literature, the characteristics of FinTech in China and the roles of government in promoting FinTech to Chinese business will be discussed. This chapter will also select cases from Hangzhou and the Greater Bay Area in order to analyze the opportunities and challenges for Chinese companies integrating FinTech into its business operations.

Influences of Single-Lane Automatic Driving Systems on Traffic Efficiency and CO2 Emissions on China’s Motorways

There are big differences between the driving behaviors of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) and traditional human-driven vehicles (HVs). ICVs will be mixed with HVs on roads for a long time in the future. Different intelligent functions and different driving styles will affect the condition of traffic flow, thereby changing traffic efficiency and emissions. In this paper, we focus on China’s expressways and secondary motorways, and the impacts of the ‘single-lane automatic driving system’ (SLADS) on traffic delay, road capacity and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were studied under different ICV penetration rates. Driving styles were regarded as important factors for scenario analysis. We found that with higher volume input, SLADS has an optimizing effect on traffic efficiency and CO2 emissions generally, which will be more significant as the ICV penetration rate increases. Additionally, enhancing the aggressiveness of driving behavior appropriately is an effective way to amplify the benefits of SLADS.