Does technology make urban traffic people and environmentally friendly?

2020-09-02

The lifestyle of people and urban mobility are constantly changing: people are moving more during the day, new modes of transport are emerging and environmental issues are becoming increasingly important. Attend the RIGA COMM 2020 Internet of Things Conference on October 15 in Ķīpsala and learn how technological developments will make urban mobility more sustainable, reduce congestion and make your stay in the city more enjoyable.

“In the future, public transport, cycling and different modes of shared transport will play a key role in urban centres, but private transport will keep playing an important role in the suburbs,” points out an urban planner and a chairman of the VEFRESH innovation movement Viesturs Celmiņš.

Smart mobility saves urban resources

one of the most pressing problems for cities that want to be modern and sustainable is the organisation of traffic and people mobility, as the growth of population, inefficient transport systems, congestion and pollution make it difficult to move around in the city, as well as and contribute to citizens’ discontent with their place of residence. Mobile apps, digital services, as well as the use of the Internet of Things, and the integration of sensors in vehicles and urban infrastructure make it possible to use existing transport solutions more effectively and develop new principles for the traffic organisation. As a result, resources are used more wisely, pollution is declining, but the data generated can be used to analyse the movement of people and vehicles to better plan the long-term development of the city.

The triumph of sharing solutions

These days, not only mobility habits are changing, but also new electronic means of transport are emerging for public sharing – tricycles, scooters, bicycles and mopeds. New vehicles can be easily recharged and have lower maintenance costs. Moreover, vehicle ownership is also changing. “Sharing economy solutions are becoming increasingly popular. This allows consumers to devote less time and attention to vehicle maintenance, but vehicles spend less time in standby mode and are used more intensively,” points out Artūrs Burņins, an executive director of Atom Mobility.

Urban planner V.Celmiņš also points out that five years ago, rarely anyone could have predicted that shared solutions would become our everyday life: “Today, smart mobility solutions are already part of the city’s daily life in small and medium-populated areas, so cities should actively consider how to integrate them safely and easily into the urban road network”.

Future challenges for cities and businesses

It cannot be overlooked that the organization of traffic in cities and the vehicles are constantly changing. A scooter can go to recharge itself or go to a place where it will be in greater demand. In 5-10 years, our daily life will be self-driving or autonomous cars. As vehicles become smarter, the number of accidents will be reduced, as accidents caused by human negligence will be prevented.

V.Celmiņš points out that one of the biggest challenges in the future is to improve the experience of urban residents and guests by developing public transport routes, so that they become a real and comparable alternative to private transport. The second challenge is special integrated lanes for environmentally friendly mobility solutions ‒ public transport, bicycles and scooters.

Burņins, on the other hand, mentions the possible regulations of the industry as one of the biggest challenges in the implementation of smart mobility: “Sooner or later the number of different public transport vehicles in the city will reach a critical level and the city administration will have to decide on restrictions. How this issue will be addressed will affect competition and development scenarios in the industry.”

The shared-vehicle industry is fast growing around the world, so it could seem an enticing niche. For entrepreneurs who want to enter this market, however, the rapid development of technology is a big challenge. “Vehicles change every 4-5 months and companies must be able to renew their fleet in line with market changes. Moreover, vehicles should be more durable and able to serve more intensively than if they were used by only one person,” says A.Burņins.

RIGA COMM is an annual business technology event in the Baltic States where developers and suppliers of enterprise resource management, document management, HRM and security systems, suppliers of cloud services, internet and digital marketing services, web solutions and mobile application developers, and ICT product manufacturers offer ready-to-use and tailored solutions for companies in different industries and of different sizes, municipal authorities and organisations to facilitate efficient operation.

The technology-rich exhibition is complemented by an extensive conference programme. In two days, more than 80 lecturers will speak from four stages in at least six events. In recent years, the RIGA COMM business technology event has been attended by approximately 5000 managers at different levels and professionals from Latvia and the rest of the Baltics. A special app and meeting area will be available to make it easier for visitors and participants to meet, communicate and collaborate successfully during the event.

RIGA COMM is held by the International Exhibition Company BT 1 in cooperation with Intelligent Machines Riga, Riga TechGirls, SmartHR Latvija, Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mailigen, Finance Latvia Association, the Communication Agency A.W.Olsen & Partners and other partners.

Tickets to the RIGA COMM business event are available online, or at the box office. Ticket price will increase as the event approaches.

Venue and opening hours:

Ķīpsala International Exhibition Centre (Ķīpsalas iela 8, Rīga)

15 October 10.00–18.00

16 October 10.00–17.00

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