Hitachi Rail has digitally connected public and private hire transport networks across an entire city in an achievement described as a “world first”.
The reported milestone was achieved in Genoa, Italy through the company’s new smart mobility suite, Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management.
The suite’s launch programme reportedly connected some 663 buses, 2,500 bus stops, Genoa’s metro line, two funiculars, one hillside railway, 10 public lifts and two suburban bus routes spanning 50km (31 miles).
According to Hitachi, this involved the installation of more than 7,000 bluetooth sensors – powered by batteries designed to last for around five years – across the city.
Users can hire vehicles through Hitachi’s 360Pass smart ticketing app, which works as a single service point for the entire city by developing an electronic map.
The 360Pass uses bluetooth to monitor when a passenger has boarded and disembarked. The app is also intended to offer the best value fare every day, even for multimodal journeys.
The app is designed to offer personalised route planning, including options for the fastest or most convenient journeys, or information on how busy services are.
The solution was developed by Hitachi, alongside the city’s public transport operator, AMT, and the Municipality of Genoa, using the local brand name GoGoGe, as part of the municipality’s goal to increase ridership for both public and private e-hire services.
The installation and set-up light infrastructure in Genoa reportedly took less than six months to be fully-operationally ready.
The app’s real-time e-map of the city should identify any barriers to users choosing public transport, such as congestion or gaps in the service.
Alessandro de Grazia, group head of smart ticketing, Hitachi Rail, said: “Hitachi’s Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management suite is a world first for smart mobility and can improve urban transport in cities around the world.
“For the first time, passengers can plan and access the most convenient multimodal journey for the cheapest fare, without ever removing their phone from their pockets.
“Today, cities face the challenges of growing public transport use to reduce emissions, cut congestion and boost their recoveries.
“Our new solutions – proven in Genoa – provide a uniquely powerful platform for operators.
“Across the UK, from London to Glasgow, and Birmingham to Manchester– we can help operations connect, scale and optimise their entire transportation network through a single platform.”
As well as smart ticketing, the suite is equipped to help operators control the flow and patterns of traffic in real time, with this feature built to manage disruptive or large-scale events.
The platform’s built-in information on emissions and congestion could also be used by policymakers to identify areas across the city in need of EV or public transport infrastructure.
