SMART CITY FANATIC

It's time for transport to become truly smart, mobile and connected. Thankfully, the UK Parliament agrees! On September 9, 2020, the UK government released a response to the Smart Data Review from the previous year. "Smart Data's next moves. Open Banking, which predated it by about a decade, was mentioned as an example of how to "put consumers and SMEs in charge of their data and enable innovation." The primary motivator being legislation to support and assist in its adoption. Transport is mentioned specifically in relation to "legislating to require participation." The authors make it very clear that they want to "mandate corporate involvement in Smart Data programmes across the economy" through law. Data within various accounts of any method of transportation can be linked using "bottom-up" ways to open and smart transport data. However, a "top-down" mandate requiring participation from the entire industry speeds up adopt...

Cars are BACK on roads. Well, they have been, for quite some time, in fact.  But: did you notice, when the pandemics and lockdowns were on? That it just felt a tad easier to simply walk down a street? There was quiet. You could actually hear the birdsong. And yes, above all? One could BREATHE, unfettered. Now, I do not wish to be some gloom merchant, stressing an end of the world forecast here. One gets enough of that, c/o imminent war predictions, worldwide financial meltdown prophecies and so on.  But what is, unavoidable,  alas, is that there is no escaping the fact, that it is indeed, harder to simply BREATHE, on roads. Why is that? Some of it might be psychosomatic. You are back in a crowded traffic jam. Stuck in an enclosed space, in a car? There are endless cyclists and now SCOOTERS using paths, instead of ROADS.  JOGGERS brush past with you, exuding a whiff of sanctimonious entitlement as they sniff their brand of bespoke, healthier air. And so on. I get it....

  In short? It becomes just like a CITY! Seriously. The Smart City theme is everywhere. Even here.  Elon Musk now owns Twitter.   Anyone would swear it were some Armageddon level event; an end of the world scenario? Threats of multiple migration toward exodus; political meltdowns and so on.  People are forgetting a few critical points, there: 1: Musk is a POST Ideological figure.   His concern is about FREEDOM. Liberation from needless cost, concern, red tape and so on.  Now, whilst of course no science, tech or business can be truly 'neutral' at a moral level, it is spectacularly unfair to paint Elon as some agent for the resurgent right wing.  FREE speech means just that: FREE (as in, unfettered) but also SPEECH (as in aiding communication, commerce and evading the destructive trolling of old) .  Ergo.. 2: Twitter becomes a truly 'open' space.  Much like what we said about Facebook last week: think upon a social media platform as a virtual ...

 Or rather? Maybe they DO it. But those features are not yet flagged up or tailored enough.  We have been talking, at some considerable length, regarding the many features and advantages which define travel focused applications of late. And one cannot in any way diminish those strengths. However, it is equally important to note that there are a number of urban themes which pervade the travel experience and it is in THOSE areas where the NEXT big app will take off.  In no particular order, a non exhaustive list, as follows: 1: DISABILITY!   We assume, immediately, a visible or aesthetically obvious point. Wheelchairs and so on. But think of say, DYSPRAXIA? Visual impairment and all the many iterations of limitation on one's ability to be truly mobile. An app that guides them through EVERY step of a journey, beyond simple tips/directions? ESSENTIAL. And in its way? STILL not 'there', yet.  2: AGE!   It is a problem. Older population. They do not all have to d...

 Clue: Smart-City Tech, and YOUR role in said? Might be key to BOTH Problem AND solution! But let's start with WHY there might be an issue here, to begin with.. RIDDLE ME THIS, BATMAN! If 'Da Covid' /Coof etc is all but abated? As in, yes, some spikes here and there, an occasional rogue variant cropping up and so on, but generally, a thing of the recent past?  IF I have been a good citizen, with minimal health risk; solid credit record/rating and no criminal convictions?  THEN WHY IS IT SO RUDDY TOUGH TO GET TRAVEL INSURANCE??   Well. Where to even begin? I can but try. So here we go! 1: MINOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS are STILL medical conditions!  So, if there is even a 1% chance that you have failed to declare or minimised the potential significance of said? INSTA-FAIL! The insurance providers and counterpart travel carriers may be inclined to treat that as an almost absolute certainty. Because they, too, have liabilities and premiums and duties of care to answ...