Hitachi Rail has launched its 360Pass smart ticketing app to digitally connect public and hired transport in Genoa, Italy.
In this world-first trial, Hitachi’s 360Pass eradicates the need to purchase paper tickets or download multiple apps for different services.
Instead, the 360Pass smart ticketing app connects to Bluetooth sensors that know when a passenger has boarded, how far they travel and when they disembark. The 360Pass system also ensures passengers only pay the best-possible fare for multimodal journeys.
In addition, Hitachi’s 360Pass offers personalised information about public transport journeys, including the fastest and most convenient multi-modal route options and real-time journey updates. The mobile app also allows passengers to check how busy buses are and choose less crowded services.
The app runs on technology from Hitachi’s new smart mobility suite, Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management.
In the launch programme, the technology has already connected 663 buses, 2500 bus stops, the metro line, two funiculars, a hillside railway, 10 public lifts and two suburban bus routes spanning 50 kilometres. The app can also be used to hire an electric car, pay for parking or find an e-moped.
This system makes it more convenient for passengers to find alternatives to private vehicles in order to reduce congestion and harmful emissions, while also optimising costs and travel times.
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 multi-modal 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 around the world. From Dusseldorf to Dubai, Istanbul to Toronto – we can help operations connect, scale and optimise their entire transportation network through a single platform.
In addition to enabling smart ticketing, the 7,000 Bluetooth sensors installed in Genoa have been used to create a digital twin of the region’s transport network. This real-time electronic map allows operators to optimise services and timetables in response to passenger demand.
Furthermore, by evaluating emissions and congestion in different areas, this technology helps operators to make smart decisions about where to target electrification of services and charging infrastructure.
Marco Beltrami, President of Genoa’s public transport operator, AMT said:Hitachi’s 360Pass app offers a unique travel experience to our customers with the game-changing hands-free technology. We can follow our customers throughout their journey, across all transport systems, getting a clear picture of their end-to-end journey. Deploying Hitachi’s technology is a great opportunity for both AMT and the city of Genoa to be a leader in smart mobility and test innovative technologies that will make a big difference to travel in cities around the world.
