Indra develops the first Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform for six Spanish cities in six autonomous regions

Indra, a leading global technological engineering company for the aerospace, defence and mobility sectors, has been awarded a contract for the development and implementation of the first Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform to integrate all the public and private transport services of the Spanish cities of Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Gijón, Logroño and Fuenlabrada, enabling their citizens to plan their trips, access all of them, and pay for their travel via a single app.

The contract, which has been awarded by the Municipal Transport Company of Valencia (EMTV) as part of the Connected Cities initiative, amounts to more than 11 million euros and the solution is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.

Connected Cities is an initiative funded by the municipal aid program for the implementation of low-emission zones and the digital and sustainable transformation of urban transport led by the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Mobility and Urban Agenda. It is an open initiative that other cities can sign up for and the purpose is to create a national, multi-city platform that can also adapt to the real needs and particular features of each municipality.

With this MaaS platform, Indra will drive the digitalization of the sector and create a new integrated and sustainable urban mobility model in Spain which, among other benefits, will help improve planning, implement strategies to promote the modal shift towards public transport, and implement Low Emission Zones (LEZs) as the solution also provides information and facilitates the management of access permits to LEZs in the different cities.

Its deployment will also lead to the birth of a new paradigm of cooperation between different authorities and public and private operators so as to move towards technological solutions with a common standard, in which data can be integrated, scenarios in similar cities can be compared and analyzed, and development expenditure can be shared.

“We’re truly excited about this highly transformational project for the six connected cities, with technology acting as an accelerator for the digitalization of all their transport systems, thus helping them develop more accessible mobility that’s more connected with their citizens, more environment-friendly and more efficient for the authorities and transport operators. Equally relevant and innovative in this project is the cooperation between all the transport stakeholders, public authorities and operators, with a platform for six cities in six different autonomous regions, permitting the integration and sharing of all the data to secure a true multi-modal combination of transport systems. The multi-modal nature is the essential foundation behind the new mobility models society demands, one where Indra’s knowledge, experience and references can really make a distinctive contribution in terms of value”, explains Berta Barrero, the managing director of Indra’s Mobility business.

Benefits for city halls, the public and transport operators

After an initial phase for the project’s conceptual and technical design led by Valladolid City Hall, Indra and the EMT of Valencia will launch the platform’s development phase. With Indra’s technology, the MaaS platform will integrate and analyze the traffic and transport data of the different cities in real time to provide city governments with valuable information and a view toward mobility governance, planning and analysis.

As for the citizens, they will enjoy a comprehensive experience with all the transport information integrated into their MaaS mobile applications, allowing them to view their options in real time, plan their routes according to sustainability, accessibility or reasons of time, plus access different transport services and LEZs in all the participating cities, regardless of the one they live in. All in a single application, with just one register and a digital payment method that incorporates bar codes (including reverse codes), NFC, bank cards/wallets (EMV) and physical cards with RFID.

The platform will also be of great use to operators, who will be able to rely on a digital point of contact with the user, real-time data, helping them adjust the supply to the demand, have unified rates and a centralized post-paid management.

An accessible and sustainable app for all means of transport

The solution to be developed by Indra will serve as the backbone and integrator of all the traditional transport services in the cities associated with the system and it will be scalable and replicable. It will be accessible via smartphones, tablets and PCs and in the future it will incorporate all services, motorized or otherwise (buses, trains, taxis, VTC, car-sharing, bicycles, scooters, walking routes, etc.).

Travelers will also be able to use the app to check traffic conditions, authorize their vehicles to access a LEZ, share a car or pay for a parking space. They will be able to do all this in any of the cities associated to the network, without the need to re-register on any other platform. Moreover, the best rates adjusted to the user’s full journey will be applied, with centralized post-payment.

The new platform is expected to integrate an initial digital twin prototype for the transport infrastructures, a dashboard and tools to facilitate the management of public and private parking, commuting and car sharing. Similarly, gamification elements will be designed to contribute to a better user experience and promote the use of more environment-friendly means of mobility.

Indra’s technology will thus make public transport more flexible and competitive, encouraging citizens to use it instead of private vehicles and controlling access to cities by means of LEZ management. The above will result in lower pollutant emissions, greater energy efficiency during journeys, less use of public spaces and reduced accident rates.

Indra has a unique track record in the transport industry, with over 2,500 mobility projects completed over the five continents. More than 100 cities around the world, including London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Sydney and Manila, have placed their trust in Indra’s different solutions to make their mobility more efficient, connected, secure and sustainable.

About Indra

Indra (www.indracompany.com) is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers worldwide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value, end-to-end focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2021 financial year, Indra achieved revenue totaling €3,390 billion, more than 52,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.