A new app from Hitachi provides passengers with the ability to access all modes of public transport in a city using ‘hands-free’ Bluetooth sensors.

The revolutionary 360Pass app will transform how passengers travel around the world in towns and cities as Hitachi Rail has connected public and private hire transport across an entire city digitally. The technological landmark has been achieved by using technology from Hitachi’s new smart mobility suite called Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management which launched on the 20th of July. The innovative technology is now available to be used in towns and cities around the globe.

The launch programme is taking place in Genoa, Italy where Hitachi recently signed an agreement to supply Genoa Metro with 14 new car trains. The brand new technology has connected 663 buses, 2,500 bus stops, the metro line which is used by 15 million people per year, two funiculars, a historic hillside railway, 10 public lifts and 2 suburban bus routes which cover 50km. People using the app can also hire an electric car, pay for parking or find an e-moped via the touch of a button on a mobile phone.

In this pioneering trial, Hitachi’s 360Pass smart ticketing app has cut the need to buy traditional paper tickets or the need to ‘touch-in’ or download multiple apps for different transport providers.

The 360Pass connects using Bluetooth sensors that recognise when a passenger with the app has boarded and how far they travel and also when they disembark. Those using the app can enjoy multi-modal journeys with the impressive app making sure that they only pay the best possible fare by the end of each day.

The app provides personalized information about public transport travel such as the fastest and most convenient multi-modal route choices alongside real-time journey updates. The app can also check how busy bus services are and gives users the chance to catch a less crowded service, this feature is particularly beneficial to those with anxiety about crowding after Covid-19 which a recent study revealed to be the second largest determinant in passengers satisfaction.

The app is being delivered through a partnership with AMT which is the city’s public transport operator and the Municipality of Genoa branded as GoGoGe. The 360Pass is also part of the municipality’s bid to grow usage of public and private e-hire services. The project aims to provide an easier approach to finding solutions to the ‘last mile’ problem which passengers and public transport authorities face around the world.

Genoa has a population of two-thirds of a million people and has transport challenges similar to cities and towns right around the world such as congestion, emissions and delivering quality services. An objective for the city’s leadership is to open up a step change in the use of sustainable mass transport throughout the metropolitan area.

This incredible technology provides an approach to cutting the reliance on private vehicles which will support the municipality in meeting its goals for congestion relief whilst cutting emissions and optimising costs and the provision of transportation throughout the area. Cities such as Istanbul or London see drivers lose as much as 142 and 227 jour per year in congestion respectively, by optimising multi-modal public and hire transport, these wasted hours can be slashed.

The 360Pass app for passengers also gives operators the ability to connect, scale and optimise their city’s total transportation network in real-time via the Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management Suite.

More than 7,000 Bluetooth sensors have been put in place throughout Genoa and have made the creation of a ‘digital twin of the regions transport and passengers’ a reality for end-to-end multi-modal journeys. The real-time electronic map shows how the city is moving using a powerful tool which lets operators optimise services and timetables, creating a system that better fits the changing peaks and troughs in passenger demand. The technology can also find issues which deter public transport usage such as congestion, emissions, crowding or gaps in services.

Further to smart ticketing, the suite can join solutions to support operators control traffic flow and service patterns in real-time, giving them the ability to react more efficiently to disruption or large-scale events such as concerts or sporting events across a city. Connecting information about the level of emissions and congestion in different areas allows operators to make informed choices about where to electrify services first and prioritise areas for charging for e-bus and e-car fleets and infrastructure.

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.”

Marco Beltrami, President, AMT [Genoa’s public transport operator] said: “GoGoGe, the name we chose in Genoa for 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.”

Matteo Campora, Councillor for Mobility, Municipality of Genoa said: “The GoGoGe Project is a flagship initiative that aims to encourage the transition towards a multimodal mobility that can reduce the travel carbon footprint, while leveraging the users needs. It also provides a public-private integrated mobility system that interconnects car-sharing, e-bikes and parking. That’s Mobility as a Service, born thanks to the synergy of Genoa City Hall, AMT and Hitachi Rail.”

Hitachi is a world leader in transport and technology and its vision for smart mobility aims to digitise and optimise all parts of travel over differing public transport types. The new suite captures Hitachi Rail’s holistic vision for smarter mobility and integrating solutions over three essential areas which are smart ticketing, mobility management and electrified mobility solutions. Hitachi is well known for delivering trains and rail infrastructure all over the world such as the iconic Shinkansen bullet trains, the digitisation of transport systems marks a vital area to focus on growing.