Data That Moves Us: Rethinking Urban Mobility Through Inclusive, Sustainable Innovation

Bengtsson argued that telematics is now the "core enabler" of intelligent, inclusive, and sustainable urban systems. However, he warned that progress is being hindered by significant "data gaps," particularly concerning the safety of vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists.

The EIT Urban Mobility strategy focuses on three key areas to bridge these gaps. The first is Inclusive Mobility, using data to identify and close service gaps for the elderly, disabled, and low-income communities. Bengtsson highlighted the NaviBlind project, a high-precision GPS navigator for the visually impaired, as a prime example.

The second pillar is Data-Driven Design, which allows cities to shift from reactive problem-solving to strategic forecasting. This includes the WINITS project, which challenges outdated transport models by analyzing the complex, non-linear travel patterns of caregivers, who are often ignored by traditional systems.

Finally, Bengtsson emphasized Public-Private Partnerships as crucial for innovation synergy. He cited the SAFELY project, which successfully used AI and citizen input in Sarajevo and Konya to identify and improve high-risk road areas.

He concluded with a call for cross-sector collaboration, framing telematics as the key to building cities that are "smart, green, and equitable by design."

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