GOVERNANCE & INTEGRATION
IoT and Mobility
NAVIGATING THE PUBLIC SECTOR ECOSYSTEM
Victoire Couëlle on how the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the creation of a unified platform can help the public transport sector face current challenges and plot its path through an increasingly complex ecosystem
The internet of things, or IoT, allows to develop a direct interaction between devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects and people. Making data transfer easy, the network helps to achieve human-to-human as well as human-to-devices interaction, © Pexels
The disruption experienced over the past year has accelerated Internet of Things (IoT) implementation within mobility. Ranging from automated vehicles, smart transport systems and platform mobility, it is estimated that 50 billion devices will be connected to the IoT by 2022, generating over 1.3 zettabytes of data.
As industries are exploring the opportunities offered by the IoT to generate revenue and growth, local authorities can implement these technologies to overcome public transportation’s economic, social and infrastructural challenges. Cities have already begun exploring the potential of IoT, implementing innovative technology solutions within the public transportation sector and paving the way for an interconnected network able to effectively respond to citizens’ mobility needs.
Optimizing Transport Network Infrastructure
Providing seamless and sustainable public mobility is a serious challenge for local authorities. Aging or inadequate public transport infrastructure can create additional pressure to already overburdened systems, causing major logistical challenges. The implementation of a unified IoT platform that coordinates various transit systems can help operators maximize transport efficiency while cutting on costs
Similarly to the private mobility sector, local authorities can utilize IoT systems to develop a direct and interactive relation with passengers and change the way we access public transportation services. Sensors can be integrated on a single platform to provide passengers with real time information on the status of buses, trains and metros. For instance, the City of Vienna, ranked as one of the best-performing public transportation systems, has implemented IoT across its 850km transportation network. All public mobility services are easily accessible on the mobile app ‘Quando’, which provides users with updates on departure and arrival times of buses, trams and subways at different locations. The adoption of a unified platform facilitates the usability but also makes predictive maintenance of public transit possible. IoT systems are able to monitor different parameters of infrastructure and vehicles, allowing us to identify problems before they emerge and disrupt the network. IoT platform can collect and coordinate all the information indicative of the system’s overall health, ranging from the engine’s temperature, battery level, tire pressure and stress on railway tracks. The adoption of IoT thus gives public transport the opportunity to reduce passenger uncertainty, by providing a more interactive, efficient, and integrated ecosystem.
IoT systems are able to monitor different parameters of infrastructure and vehicles, allowing us to identify problems before they emerge and disrupt the network
The city of Vienna adopted the “Smart City Wien Framework Strategy” to improve the efficacity and quality of life of its citizens, using innovation and technology as tools to achieve this, © Unsplash
Towards A New Model?
The implementation of work from home measures, social distancing and travel bans have considerably impacted our lifestyles and mobility behaviours, accelerating the shift away from traditional mobility. If restrictions are gradually being relaxed, public transportation will continue to face the challenges of new mobility needs and an increasingly complex ecosystem. Users are now looking for mobility alternatives that can adapt to their own needs, rather than having to adjust themselves. This shift towards a demand-driven model comports many challenges for which we need to adopt a new mindset and new tools. If public transportation has traditionally been low-tech, digital platforms and data-driven models can help the sector adopt a more flexible framework. The implementation of IoT platforms can support local authorities and public transport operators, recover user’s trust, establish a direct relation with commuters and support interoperability.
This integration will be crucial to maintain public transportation up-to-date and competitive in the market. Now more than ever, public transit needs to be responsive to citizens' needs. Data-driven models make it possible to provide a mobility offer that is tailored to new and constantly evolving demand. Their usage ensures a deployment of transit that maximizes efficiency, both in urban centres and low-density areas. Fleet management can be enhanced with intelligent dispatching, real-time incident response and asset monitoring. The logistical complexity of managing vast fleets, across multiple countries and supply chains can be simplified by combining IoT applications. This allows to fluidly interconnected business solutions, built to suit specific fleet and customer needs.
The cities of Paris, Eindhoven, Gothenburg, Montpellier, Vienna, Hanover and Barcelona have all successfully implemented IoT in their local mobility network
The implementation of a unified platform easily accessible to users though an application, can improve usability and reduces user’s uncertainty, © Unsplash
Towards Greener, Safer, More Equal Urban Mobility
The adoption of IoT in public transportation enables authorities to implement a highly efficient, commuter-friendly, and convenient system, which also supports the shift away from privately owned vehicles. The reduction of private cars on roads leads to valuable benefits for urban and rural centres on multiple aspects. A city that increases its usage of public transportation, significantly cuts down on its carbon footprint, but also experiences noticeable improvements in terms of congestion and road safety. As urban planners are looking for ways to make cities safer and more sustainable, IoT seems to offer a simple and efficient way to achieve such objectives. This implementation will not come naturally as it will require considerable efforts from local authorities to ensure citizen’s trust and ensure effective dialogue with the private sector. The cities of Paris, Eindhoven, Gothenburg, Montpellier, Vienna, Hanover and Barcelona have all successfully implemented IoT in their local mobility network, ranging from online payment alternatives to the creation of an integrated public transportation that supports seamless multimodal mobility. Coordination, planning and concrete dialogue with different actors will be crucial to overcome obstacles and develop a sustainable, socially viable and flexible public transportation model, able to evolve with citizens' needs. By ensuring seamless transitions, real-time information, and a flexible model able to adapt to evolving demand, public transportation will play a crucial role in achieving smart and sustainable cities.
Victoire Couëlle is Communications Assistant at POLIS Network. Contact her: vcouelle@polisnetwork.eu
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