The importance of data in mobility systems
A year ago, I tried to sketch out what our mobility might look like in the near future (1).
As users of a mobility service (whether it's ordering a train ticket via your phone, ordering a ride with a ride-sharing app, or renting a self-service bike), are we aware that these systems work with a lot of data - OUR data?
Indeed, we increasingly need to share information, such as our geolocation, to enable our favorite on-demand shopping application to offer us the best possible service. Operators are hungry for this data to provide the best user experience, but also to optimize their operations and thus be more efficient. A great deal of data is also exchanged between existing systems, in particular to optimize their operation or provide additional services. Take, for example, the Car Postal timetable consultation application, which for several months has been integrating car-sharing runs to offer its customers during off-peak hours (2)!
Figure 1 Source: CODATU
In my opinion, the figure above perfectly illustrates the possible exchanges and synergies between the various players in today's mobility sector. In the final analysis, the aim is to create a high-performance ecosystem whose main objective is to fine-tune supply to demand, as well as the quality of services (whether digital or not).
I find it interesting to keep in mind the virtuous circle represented by the data exchange cycle in a mobility context that must always be flexible and immediate. If the legal framework for the use of this data is well designed, it is possible to improve our mobility and quality of life, while reducing the impact on our environment.
So is data sharing a problem, or could it actually be beneficial?
The answer to this question is more topical than ever in the post-confinement situation in which we find ourselves, and where our habits, particularly in terms of mobility, have been turned upside down.
In the current context, this integration of mobility systems (also known as MaaS - Mobility as a Service) could well be the key to compensating for individually more restricted or limited offers than before, while offering users greater felicity.
But these advantages should not overshadow the possibility of our data being used for purposes other than providing us with the service we expect. The recent discovery of the sharing of SBB application user data with Google (2) is indeed a cause for concern: SBB has announced that the data transmitted does not allow any specific individual to be identified. This is probably true on the side of the former Federal Railways, but the problem here arises from the possibilities offered by Google's data cross-referencing. If they are well designed and analyzed separately, most applications and services cannot be traced back to individuals. But if you start to cross-reference data from different sources, you mechanically increase the possibility of tracing personal information. And that's the problem.
We now need to identify the acceptable limit between the benefits of systems integration and the risks incurred by the cross-checking of information. In this context, I believe that transparency and understanding of the issues at stake are paramount, without falling into excessive naivety.
I believe that we will be increasingly confronted with these questions concerning the use of our data. That's why it's more important than ever to select these services in full knowledge of the facts, by systematically assessing the balance between the risks and benefits involved. And for the operators or suppliers of mobility services, to communicate all the elements necessary to build mutual trust with their users.
(1) https://blogs.letemps.ch/yann-bocchi/2019/06/21/le-mayen-2023-episode-1-3/
