The Smart City community is looking forward to give its contribution to solve one of the most complex and pressing issues in today’s urban areas: the ever more intense tension between the population’s demand for more mobility and the limits of the city infrastructure. The first step in this direction requires the digitalisation of mobility services and infrastructure, in order to identify where the bottlenecks are and prioritise virtuous behaviours.

Developing a Connected Cycling Eco-system: the Bicycle-as-a-Sensor

Cycling cannot miss this opportunity to show, once again, its great versatility and potential. This is why, together with the most innovative companies and researchers in the cycling sector, we are putting together a visionary project: Hacking Copenhagen – Bicycles sensing the city.

During the ITS World Congress, the greatest conference on Smart Mobility in the world, we will equip the cyclists of Copenhagen with all sorts of sensors to scan the city in real-time, analysing its traffic flow, air quality, noise levels and liveability. All bicycles enabled with these new Internet-of-Things (IoT) functionalities will then become tools in the hands of decision makers looking at new ways to improve mobility – and life – in their city. For example, enabling digitally-visible cyclists to interact with traffic lights as they approach; or suggesting routing options that avoid the most dangerous, polluted or congested streets.

A project for the entire cycling industry

Such a comprehensive – and potentially revolutionary – project needs a wide participation of the cycling industry’s most innovative companies. The Hacking Copenhagen Consortium is being consolidated, finding the perfect mix of disruptive start-ups, global multinationals and everything in-between: including Dutch traffic management experts, Austrian app makers, British Mobility-as-a-Service and Artificial Intelligence specialists, giants of the telecommunications, Danish infrastructure providers, etc.

All coming together to contribute to the same objectives: enabling cyclists to leverage the full potential of a connected mobility, cities to plan and allocate urban space more efficiently, and the industry to grab a share of the huge – and growing – market of apps, wearables and digital solutions, becoming every day more compelling.

We are still recruiting! Contact Niccolo’ Panozzo to discuss how you can bring your expertise and product to the Consortium.