Endava Technical Article: In the City, Traffic Jams Reign; in the Countryside, the Car - More Technology Needed

The mobility transition is an important piece of the puzzle to reduce traffic-related environmental damage and make people's lives in Germany and around the world more sustainable. However, practical implementation repeatedly encounters difficulties, including: competition on the streets, the sluggish expansion of public transportation, or technically cumbersome solutions. How can cities, municipalities, and transportation companies overcome such challenges as quickly as possible? One thing is certain: the use of new technologies offers very good approaches and answers.

In recent months, Tesla in the USA announced partnerships with automakers Ford and GM: their customers will be able to charge their vehicles using adapters in the comparatively large charging network of the electric mobility pioneer starting next year. Additionally, it has also shown openness to supplying batteries.

Of course, the company itself benefits from such steps. But it also contributes to promoting and spreading e-mobility. In Germany, in the coming years, it will also be important for those responsible in cities, municipalities, and mobility companies to open up to new approaches in order to successfully implement the transportation transition.

Example Rural Area: Where no bus comes, the car rules

Demand determines supply - this market economy principle generally also applies to public transportation (ÖPNV). Accordingly, the supply is particularly well-developed within cities. But in suburban areas and especially in the countryside, the situation is often different. Therefore, a targeted expansion of public transportation is urgently needed.

But how can transportation companies best accomplish this? A first step is analyzing data using big-data tools, i.e., solutions that can process large amounts of data. According to a survey conducted as part of the Emerging Technologies Report by Endava, 83 percent of companies in Germany are already using this technology or are currently implementing it. For transportation companies, this means they need solutions to collect the right data and analyze it meaningfully.

Creating a data basis: Sensors could count passengers

Part of these solutions can be sensors that count passengers getting on and off, or cameras that capture (data-protection compliant) waiting people at stops. Based on this data, transportation companies can analyze, for example, at what times and places the demand for public transportation connections is high – factories whose employees work in shifts or schools can influence this.

At the same time, they should consider which external data can provide useful insights. For example, the locations of bus stops should also be reviewed. After all, new circumstances, such as the construction of a new supermarket, may make it sensible to relocate or even establish a new bus stop.