Intelligent Transport Systems and how it complements a Smart City
We spoke about how data tech impacts the smart city and the characteristics of a successful smart city earlier on. However, the building of the smart city does not just stop at the development itself, the growth of smart cities throughout the country is a continuous expansion and promises to have a growth result of an estimated $41,08B in 2020 to a whopping $820B in 2025!
According to the smart city press, “Smart cities need smart transport services. Proper movement of people, goods, and services accelerate the growth and development of a region. A well-planned and efficiently managed transport network is a must for any society.”
Over the next 5 years, the market estimates an annual growth rate of 25.1% in the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) segment alone. The concept of ITS is not new and smart cities in Singapore, New York City, London, Paris, Beijing, Berlin Seoul, and Barcelona are the few leading examples. ITS provides a different approach in implementing various transportation modes, advanced infrastructure, and traffic management solutions.
The important features of ITS are:
- Public Transportation Management
To encourage citizens to embrace public transportation, it is crucial for them to have prior information about the route best suited for their journey. This information can be in the form of real-time data about traffic conditions, transit systems, sharp turns, stop signs, road conditions, to name a few.
In times of emergencies, ITS allows operators and dispatchers to be promptly informed, ensuring the well-being and security of the public. Additionally, the use of real-time data in countries such as Korea has also provided their citizens with easy access to alternative routes when a mode of transport is faulty. It is the first city to deploy the use of 5G in a transport system and Seoul also has plans to implement the use of 5G advanced driver-assistance on both buses and trains.
2. Smart Traffic Management
Being ranked first in the 2020 Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index by KPMG in terms of readiness for automated vehicles, digital networks, and road infrastructure, Singapore leveraged the smart transportation system with real-time data to deliver real-time traffic updates to the public, making Singapore one of the least congested cities in the world.
3. Single Fare Card
Smart Transportation also includes having easy access to the technology itself and thus having a single fare card plays an important role in this aspect. The single fare card is used for all public transportation — trains and buses, and the card could be simply topped up at convenience stores, self-serving machines at train stations, and online.
Some developed nations have been working on Intelligent Transport Systems for over a decade now but some fare better than others. Because to build a better transportation system for present and future generations, it not only takes proper planning from the government itself but also the constant public feedback when a plan has been created.
