Some interesting findings in this report from the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group on how travel and transport might look in 2025.
The Connected World report identifies four ways to transform travel and transport and while normally the tendency is to shy away from words and phrases such as revolutionise and game-changing, this is worthy of a fair showing not least because it's 'loosely' based around technology that already exists.
The study tells us that all four have the potential for economic and social benefit so, what are they?
- Integrated proactive intermodal travel assistant (IPITA) - aka the ability to travel using one ticket regardless of mode of transport and with real-time advice on possible hold-ups and viable options
- Condition-based megacity traffic management system (COMET)- collating and processing information from vehicles, individuals, transport infrastructure and the environment to forecast and alleviate congestion as well as help the environment
- Fully-automated check-in, security and border control/smart visa (ACIS) - using technology to improve the journey through airports, stations etc assessing real-time risk classification of passengers, biometrics, luggage and body scanners and electronic visas
- Tracking and transparency-based logistics optimiser (TATLO) - using RFID chips for the latest updates on products' attributes, condition and environmenal impact to improve supply chain management
The only barriers to this high-tech vision of travel in the future is getting all the different parties involved to work together.
The report involved 50 travel and transport and information and communication technology companies and is part of the WEF's Hyperconnectivity Initiative looking at the risks and opportunities of being always connected.