Smart Cities Need Better Traffic Data, Rideshare Drivers Could Help
If there’s a bane to big city life, it’s traffic. I found myself stuck in an Uber in the middle of a traffic jam. And when I got to thinking about how bad the traffic was, it blew my mind. We’ve put a man on the moon but we can’t solve traffic jams? The answer may be within data collection and the philosophy of the smart city.
We’ve got smartphones, smart homes, and all the rest, but our cities continue to have countless challenges with not much innovation. We’re relying on the same traffic lights, same infrastructure, same almost everything from decades ago. In the years ahead, however, smarter cities could become a reality.
Most cities have endless traffic jams and never get it right. A few cities, however, are attempting to use data to alleviate the problem.Firefly, for example, is a seemingly straightforward technology company that puts more money into Uber drivers’ pockets with a first of its kind network of “situationally aware” digital smart screens that generate vital data for cities. Data, collected from the hundreds of thousands of miles of Uber rides, gives traffic signals and urban engineers real time information.
Firefly received a $21.5 million dollar injection. The concept is pretty simple, maybe a bit obvious in hindsight: why not turn rideshares into a larger network?
My preliminary research suggests that data is the biggest thing holding smart cities back. It’s easy to gather user data on a smartphone. There’s one screen and only a limited number of users. But how do you gather accurate data regarding a dynamic urban area home to millions of people?
The solution is both straight forward: utilize rideshare cars. With Firefly, Uber and other rideshare drivers can quickly install smart screens on top of their cars, earning money in the process. Along the way, built-in sensors gather data, which in turn can be used to enable smart cities with unique partnerships with universities, nonprofits, and companies.
Kaan Gunay, the co-founder and CEO at Firefly, didn’t need hindsight to realize that turning rideshares into a dynamic mobile network could be a boon.
