Monotch creates smart mobility platforms, simple as that. However, what exactly is smart mobility to us?
The Monotch platforms allow exchanging traffic-related data between all relevant mobility users. However, as you can find through a simple online search, everyone gives some nuances to this terminology. Therefore, we would like to share our take on this term, the smart mobility ecosystem and, of course, how TLEX® fits in.
What is smart mobility?
Smart mobility is the cooperation of all kinds of technology around mobility to make transportation safer, more sustainable, and more efficient. It is not only about cars, buses or emergency vehicles; it is an all-inclusive way of getting from A to B, independent of the means of transport. Furthermore, to ensure you can connect all road users, roadside equipment, systems and road authorities, you need to preferably have a C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport System) platform that allows real-time data exchange.
What is a smart mobility ecosystem?
The smart mobility ecosystem is the collection of all digital and physical actors involved in moving from A to B. What makes the mobility ecosystem really smart is:
- the digital connection (safe and guaranteed),
- real-time data exchange,
- the inclusion of all actors (from authority to road users)
- and future-proofing the system for autonomous driving.
As a picture says more than a thousand words, you find hereafter what, in our opinion, the ecosystem looks like:
How does Monotch contribute to the Smart Mobility ecosystem?
Monotch is the market leader on C-ITS platforms that allow vendor-independent, real-time, secure connection and data exchange between all the smart mobility industry actors.
The Traffic Live Exchange platform – TLEX® for short – is the data exchange system that allows all smart mobility parties to connect while working according to (global) standards set up by the industry.
TLEX® is all about connecting the different actors in the smart mobility ecosystem. The system allows governmental authorities, such as road authorities or cities, to set traffic rules, based on their expertise and laws, for all road users. Next, all roadside equipment manufacturers and roadside system creators are invited to connect their smart products to the platform. After that, different service providers create solutions (a navigation app, a parking space finding app) that road users can have instantly available from their car dashboard or smartphone.
How does TLEX benefit the actors in the ecosystem?
In this ecosystem, everybody benefits;
- Road authorities and cities get a better understanding of how traffic moves and how they can make the priorities in such a way to create safer, more efficient, and sustainable traffic flows
- Roadside equipment manufacturers making smart products that work with the industry standards can be used worldwide
- Traffic management solutions analyse the data through their specialist software and improve the real-time traffic flow by providing emergency and event information and optimizing smart object settings allowing road users to find the smoothest way around
- Service providers can create commercially attractive solutions that use the collected data and sends information back from its users
- Research Institutes will use the available data for analysis to help improve the traffic flow. In addition, the TLEX system has a test environment allowing an affordable system for pilots.
- Road users are the largest user group which uses the applications from the system providers to give them insights into the traffic when they are on the road, allowing them to make consciously better decisions regarding their travel, either before they leave or even when they are on the road.
Using TLEX® as the central hub for the smart mobility ecosystem is the same revolution as the introduction of the internet to everyone. It allows everyone to connect according to industry-set standards, anonymous, secure and governance.
Where do we find Smart Mobility solutions already?
Smart mobility solutions are around us, probably more often than we realise. The most known Smart Mobility solution is perhaps the navigation app we all have on our mobile phones that indicate when there is a traffic jam, or maybe the ‘green waves’ some cities have where you can drive at a certain speed, and all traffic lights turn green.
Monotch is involved in several international smart mobility projects which are running or have run during pilots. The most known are:
What different types of Smart Mobility platforms are available?
When discussing different ways to create data exchange, we can divide this into several types of solutions, each with its maturity, functionality and support. We identified the following types of platforms;
- Generic IoT
- Vendor
- Project built/government developed
- TLEX
Each of these has its technical background, but we dare to say that TLEX® is the most advanced, hassle-free and proven solution to make smart mobility future-proof and take it to a whole new level.
Are you ready to try TLEX®? Sign up for our free trial or reach out for more information.
