SMART CITIES, SMART MOBILITY: A NECESSARY EVOLUTION

India is on the path of developing smart mobility solutions that are affordable and secure to drive acceptance and engagement from Indian citizens

- Sachin Khosla

The Global Smart City Performance Index by the England-based market research company Juniper Research evaluates the top 20 smart cities on four yardsticks- mobility, health, productivity, and safety. Since 2017 when the index was formulated, Singapore has pipped other global cities to claim the top spot. Mobility forms a central tenet in Singapore’s roadmap to a holistic transformation. To realise this goal, Vehicle to Everything (V2X) is one of the ambitious projects that Singapore has in the pipeline. The project aims to develop a system that connects all elements of the city’s mobility network. It will create an extensive and updated picture of the roads, promoting safety and reducing congestions.

Smart mobility is the key to realising the dream of a truly futuristic city and one that we must focus on. While there is no dearth of investment in developing transportation infrastructure, there is a need to focus on more unconventional approaches that go beyond just interlinking roads or introducing high-speed vehicles.

Traffic congestion, inadequate parking spaces, lack of last mile connectivity, poor safety conditions and unsatisfactory public transport systems are some of the challenges faced by Indian cities. As per one report, India loses $21.3 billion annually to traffic and poor road conditions. Furthermore, there is a steady rise in air pollution. Smart transportation can tackle these pain points by offering integrated solutions where conventional mechanisms prove inadequate.

What is smart mobility?