Hitachi trial promises frictionless public transport

Genoa’s multimodal transport networks of buses, metro, funiculars and public elevators has been equipped with more than 7,000 Bluetooth beacons to facilitate the trial. Using Hitachi’s 360Pass app, passengers can plan and initiate a journey with the touch of a button, hopping on and off various transport options without requiring a ticket or to tap in and out with a card. The app also allows users to rent private EVs, pay for parking and identify e-mopeds across the city.

At the end of each day, the app – part of Hitachi’s newly launched Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management suite – calculates the cheapest available total fare for that day’s travel. The smart mobility platform also enables transport authorities and operators to monitor passenger and traffic flows in real time, providing a digital twin of the entire network that can be used to improve services.

“Hitachi’s Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management suite is a world first for smart mobility and can improve urban transport in cities around the world,” said Alessandro de Grazia, group head of Smart Ticketing at Hitachi Rail. “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.”