Last month the annual European Mobility Exhibition was held in Paris. During this conference, companies from the mobility sector present their most innovative plans for the future. This year the event attracted 11.000 visitors, who were inspired by more than 170 exhibitors. Sustainability was the central theme of this exhibition. Striking this edition: extra attention was paid to innovations in public transport.
Regain trust in public transport
Public transport plays a major role when it comes to achieving the European climate targets. However, due to the corona crisis, many travelers have lost confidence in public transport. To regain trust in public transport, optimal investment is needed in the needs of everyday travellers.
One of the innovations that could possibly achieve this is the Holostop; a hologram of the old-fashioned red stop button on the bus. The passenger runs his finger over the virtual button and the Holostop registers the stop request like a traditional button. The device emits a short sound and changes color briefly to confirm the request. According to the creator of the Holstop, this gives passengers a greater sense of security because it is contactless.
Smart travel with public transport and your app
In the Netherlands too, the passenger utilization of public transport has fallen considerably. This is currently 75%, low by Dutch standards. That while public transport has many advantages. ALD Automotive sees public transport as a smart and sustainable mobility solution, especially for business travelers. It is an efficient way of traveling because you can combine travel and working time and you don't have to drive around the busy city center in search of a parking space, for example. In addition, it can be used flexibly.
With the help of ALD Automotive's mobility app ALD Move, business travel and commuting can also be managed in such a way that it fits in well with the agenda of the day, the current situation on the road and the weather forecast. This way you can see at a glance which travel options you have in the morning. If you prefer not to use your bike or in a traffic jam in bad weather, public transport is in many cases a flexible alternative.
E-buses
Finally, the expo paid a lot of attention to making public transport more sustainable. For example, buses that run on hydrogen were presented. These buses can charge in nine minutes, making them even more efficient than electric buses with lithium batteries. Generating hydrogen is very expensive at this stage, which is why the exhibition floor was still dominated by e-buses. A great development, especially for the Netherlands, because our infrastructure offers many opportunities to make public transport more sustainable at a rapid pace, according to ALD Automotive.
