The applications for AI in urban mobility are extensive. The opportunity is thanks to a mixture of factors: urbanization, a focus on environmental sustainability, and growing motorization in developing countries, which results in congestion. The rising predominance of the sharing economy is another contributor. Ride-hailing or ride-sharing services enable drivers to access riders through a digital platform that also facilitates mobile money payments. Some examples in developing countries include Swvl, an Egyptian start-up that enables riders heading an equivalent direction to share fixed-route bus trips, and Didi, the Chinese ride-hailing service. These can help optimize utilization of assets where they are limited in EMs, and increase the standard of obtainable transportation services.

By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 10 million self-driving vehicles and more than 250 million smart cars on the road. Tesla, BMW, and Mercedes have already launched their autonomous cars, and they have proven to be very successful. We can gain tremendous productivity improvements in several industrial areas. As the transport industry becomes more data-driven, the talent profile will also shift as new skills will be needed in the workforce to keep up with ongoing changes. AI is already helping to form transport safer, more reliable and efficient, and cleaner. Some applications include drones for quick life-saving medical deliveries in Sub-Saharan Africa, smart traffic systems that reduce congestion and emissions in India, and driverless vehicles that shuttle cargo between those who make it and people who pip out in China. With great potential to extend efficiency and sustainability, among other benefits, comes many socio-economic, institutional, and political challenges that have got to be addressed to ensure that countries and their citizens can all harness the power of AI for economic process and shared prosperity.

Reference: How Artificial Intelligence is Making Transport Safer, Cleaner, More Reliable and Efficient in Emerging Markets- by Maria Lopez Conde and Ian Twinn, International Financial Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group.

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AI in the Field of Transportation - a Review - AI Daily