10 February 2025

Imagine a city where everything you need – work, shops, healthcare, parks – is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. That's the vision of the 15-minute city (15mC). A new research project, PERSEUS (Policy Effect Navigator: A Map-based Tool for Effective and Equitable 15mC Policy Synthesis), is developing a tool to help make it a reality.

The new project is planned for 3 years, until December 2027. Photographer: Thor Balkhed
Instead of using complex and time-consuming traditional traffic models, the PERSEUS team is developing a fast, responsive, and visually engaging tool for urban planners. This tool will use readily available data, automated analysis, and simplified traffic models to create interactive maps. By doing so, it helps visualize the impact of different decisions on achieving 15mC goals, going beyond traditional AI methods for more effective planning.

"We're not just analysing existing travel patterns, but creating a tool that can simulate the impact of various policy changes," explains Senior Associate Professor Yang Liu, from the Division of Environmental Technology and Management at the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI). "For example, what happens if we add bike lanes, create a new park, or restrict car access in a certain area? The tool will show how these changes impact accessibility, the environment, the local economy, and social equity across different demographics."

The resulting tool will empower planners and decision-makers to explore different scenarios, visualize their potential outcomes, and understand the trade-offs involved. It will also provide a platform for public engagement, allowing citizens to understand and contribute to the planning process.

Yang Liu stands next to big windows.
Senior Associate Professor Yang Liu, from the Division of Environmental Technology and Management at the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI).
PERSEUS, an EU-funded project through Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership, brings together researchers from Greece, Germany, Sweden, and Austria. Linköping University (LiU) leads the Swedish consortium including Järfälla Municipality, Linköping Municipality, Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), and Tengbom as collaboration partners. The Swedish consortium led by Senior Associate Professor Yang Liu is playing an important role developing the project's data-driven decision support system. The LiU team involves several researchers at IEI and the Department of Thematic Studies (TEMA). LiU has received a total funding of SEK 3,630,057 from the Swedish Energy Agency. The project is planned for 3 years until December 2027.

Latest news from LiU

LiU and Region Östergötland invest in AI and precision health

Linköping University and Region Östergötland announce initiatives in the areas of life science, medtech, innovation and information-driven precision health in a new collaboration agreement.

A man in a lab applies water to the surface of a yellow-green material.

More effective production of “green” hydrogen with new combined material

Hydrogen produced from water is a promising renewable energy source – especially if the hydrogen is produced using sunlight. Now LiU researchers show that a combination of new materials improves the efficiency of the chemical reaction several times.

Demonstration of MR elastography.

Fatty liver – but not liver damage – common in type 2 diabetes

Six out of ten people with type 2 diabetes had fatty liver in a new study. Of these, only a small percentage had developed more severe liver disease. Type 2 diabetes in combination with obesity is linked to a greater risk.