Cars are still the primary mode of transportation for most people, but they're also one of the biggest sources of planet-warming pollution. Researchers in Germany have just developed an AI-powered route planning tool that could make eco-friendly travel as convenient as your own car.
The Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation, along with partners in the DAKIMO project, is creating an intelligent, intermodal transportation system, according to TechXplore. Its AI predicts the real-time availability of shared transportation options, such as bikes, e-scooters, buses, trams, and trains, and then maps out seamless routes that integrate them.
The AI forecasts availability using small geographic cells, short time intervals, and open data from public transit systems, traffic, and historical usage patterns.
"For transportation to be intermodal and thus more eco-friendly, it needs to be simpler, more reliable, more flexible, and easier to plan for," said project lead Jens Ziehn.
Public transit and shared mobility options have a significantly smaller environmental impact than private cars. In fact, swapping just one daily car trip for public transit can reduce your annual transportation-related carbon pollution by 4,800 pounds.
But one of the biggest barriers to giving up cars is uncertainty. Without knowing whether a connecting bike or scooter will be available when needed, many people default to driving. This system eliminates the guesswork from trip planning, making it easier and more appealing to leave the car at home.
In early tests, nearly 90% of participants found the AI predictions helpful, and 20% stated they would leave their cars at home more often if they had access to such a tool.
The forecasting technology is already part of a test version of the Regiomove app in Germany's Middle Upper Rhine Region. Plans are in place to expand across the state of Baden-Württemberg, and eventually, the AI could be integrated into mobility apps worldwide.
The system will also be added to the General Bikeshare Feed Specification, an international standard for public transportation data. This means routing apps everywhere could soon use AI to offer greener, more reliable trip options.
For consumers, the benefit is convenience: fewer surprises, smoother connections, and reduced stress when traveling without a car. For the planet, it means less traffic, cleaner air, and lower carbon pollution, resulting in fewer extreme weather events and cooler temperatures.
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How much time do you spend commuting in the car each week? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Over an hour a day 😭 It's part of a growing wave of smart mobility tech, similar to apps that show real-time EV charger availability and tools that help cities plan greener transit systems, making sustainable transportation a no-brainer.
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