Connected mobility: the future is just around the corner

Do you remember your first car? For some, the answer will be a melancholy “yes.” Perhaps it was a completely analog model, with a noisy engine and a smoking exhaust pipe. For others, air-conditioned cars with cruise control were cutting-edge. As for the younger generations of drivers, their first cars probably already came with a number of electronic systems with hard-to-remember acronyms.

Constant evolution

Over the past three decades, the automotive sector has undergone a profound transformation, driven by technological evolution and digitalization. In the 1990s, vehicles were essentially analog: mechanical controls, dashboards full of buttons with symbols, and safety systems that were limited to seat belts and, in some cases, airbags or ABS systems. Quality and safety depended mainly on mechanical engineering, while electronics played a more modest role.

Though on-board computers known as ECUs (electronic control units) have been around since the late 1960s, they didn’t truly evolve and take off until the 1990s, with the introduction of driving assistants, GPS navigation, parking sensors, and emergency braking systems. Cameras and radars later increased safety and efficiency, and vehicles began to incorporate multiple specialized control units.

This evolution culminated in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) concept: software-defined vehicles whose capability and functionality are constantly updated, rather like a smartphone on wheels.

Mobility for all

However, not everyone travels by car. Public transportation has also evolved significantly, with diversified payment systems, real-time information, and even onboard Wi-Fi. At the same time, new means of urban mobility have emerged, such as rental scooters and bicycles, as well as ride-hailing services, which offer practical and sustainable alternatives.

Cities are increasingly embracing lightweight transportation to reduce polluting traffic in downtown areas. This transformation wouldn’t have been possible without the technological breakthroughs that led to the creation of rental car management platforms, which make it possible to monitor routes and optimize availability.

Today, cities offer a wide range of mobility options that allow residents to choose the most convenient way to get around.

Urban mobility challenges

Despite the diversification of options, the coexistence of multiple modes of transportation can lead to conflicts in public spaces. Cars, public transportation, bicycles, scooters, ride-hailing services, and pedestrians often compete for infrastructure that is not always prepared for all their different needs.

This shared use can lead to traffic jams and an increased risk of accidents such as hit-and-runs, which are on the rise, and overcrowding as a result of too many ride-hailing cars.

What if everything were connected?

Imagine that your car could communicate with other vehicles, buses, bicycles, and even pedestrians. Imagine that you’re approaching an intersection and your car alerts you that a child is running into the road. Or that traffic can automatically adjust to let an emergency ambulance through.

This is no longer fiction. Projects exploring V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology are currently underway throughout Europe. These systems exchange communication between vehicles and infrastructure to promote real-time coordination of the surrounding environment.

Notable examples in Portugal include the C-ROADS Portugal and C-STREETS projects, which follow the guidelines of the EU’s C-ROADS platform. These initiatives have made it possible to test solutions such as traffic light management to improve traffic flow and safety.

For example, V2X technology allows vehicles to adjust their speed to avoid collisions at intersections and to receive information about construction sites, temporary speed limits, and priority vehicles that are approaching. The goal is to promote safer and more sustainable mobility by coordinating emergency vehicles and reducing travel times.

Technology at the service of mobility

These technologies are not intended to control drivers, but rather to increase the safety and comfort of urban mobility, while helping reduce emissions and create smarter cities.

These solutions are still in their infancy, but the groundwork for gradually implementing them has already been laid. Soon, vehicles will be able to automatically adapt to traffic conditions and respond quickly to unexpected events.

The future of mobility

Connected mobility is becoming a reality. The first steps have already been taken, and the cities of the future will be shaped by solutions that incorporate autonomous vehicles, smart infrastructure, and multimodal services.

The next generation may not even need a first car, as shared and smart mobility options will be fully integrated into city life. For future generations, connected mobility will be as natural as having a smartphone is today.

Bruno Gonçalves

ITS Director of Business Development Portugal | GMV