A team from 2getthere B.V. and SimPlan AG has used Siemens’ Plant Simulation software to model India’s first Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, planned for Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The project involves a network of autonomous pods designed to move passengers across the business district. Using discrete-event simulation, the team built a digital twin of the full BKC network to test elements that paper-based designs alone could not, including: Passenger throughput, Potential bottlenecks along the guideway, Fleet sizing and dispatch strategy.
The model identified four interconnected complexity areas — vehicle dynamics, shuttle communication, station and merge operations, and fleet and energy management — helping the team replace assumptions with measurable data on throughput, wait times, and utilisation before construction begins. The approach highlights the role of simulation in planning and assessing complex urban transport systems.
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