At the NME-Next Mobility Exhibition underway in Milan focus on the evolution of public transport in a green key. The central role of new generation, electric, hydrogen and increasingly technologically advanced buses.
Protagonist par excellence of urban public transport, thebus it is one of the means most affected today in Italy by innovation processes on the topic of environmental sustainability. In fact, some statistics report that in 2023 there will be zero-emission urban buses registered in Italy accounted for 30% of the total new vehicles, with exponential growth (+240%) in the last year (source: Chatrou CME Solutions).
The sector is therefore in strong evolution and the light on its future potential is being turned on in recent days NME – Next Mobility Exhibitiona stage event at the Milan Fair (from 8 to 10 May) which puts the collective mobility green at the center of its offer.
New means of transport for people, alternative tractions, charging infrastructures, software solutions, digital services, this is the menu proposed by the second edition of NME. An in-depth look at a rapidly changing sector, which in Italy is gradually strengthening, with the aim of “transfer” more and more shares of private travel to more collective modesto the full advantage, we hope, of sustainability.
The bus of tomorrow: electric or hydrogen
At the Fair there are several European and global bus manufacturers presenting solutions for ‘cleaner’ public transport. Vehicles on display electricalto biodieselto HVO and also fed to hydrogen.
The full electric obviously has an important role in this sector. Considering also long-distance buses – interurban and tourist – in fact, the share of electricity in Italy is already 8% todaydouble that of the private car sector.
Hydrogen also plays its part and is proving to be a valid alternative. The largest ones were held in Italy in the last year tenders for hydrogen buses never banned in Europe so far: so between Bologna and Venice they will soon circulate further 200 buses powered by fuel cells.
The increase in volumes of alternative traction buses is due to the combination of funds from PNRR and from Strategic Plan for Sustainable Mobilitywhich are worth, added together, more 7 billion euros for the purchase of low and/or zero emission buses (plus charging infrastructure) and approx 3 billion euros for the hydrogen supply chain alone.
Technology to evolve
Among the main sector news present at NME, also urban and interurban vehicles powered by electric drivelinesas well as strong tourist buses security technologies new generation active.
L’technological and digital evolution, in this sense carries out an equally important task in the process of renewing the sector. The world of components, for example, is today supported by applications Artificial intelligence.
Give it to him digital mirrors which eliminate the problem of blind spots, ai tiredness detectors and driver responsiveness based on facial recognition. From intelligent systems of speed assistanceto the automatic detection sensors of pedestrians and cyclistsincluding many other features that must be available on tomorrow’s buses.
It’s always about technologies and platforms more integrated and digital, necessary to make the transport service as ‘close’ to the needs of those travelling. Starting from the world of electronic ticketingwhich is developing increasingly complex solutions, to offer the user comprehensive usage options more servicesto be used perhaps on multiple vehicles.
Space for training
To take stock of the state of the art of local public transport at NME there are also some scheduled conferences and round tablesin which the main national and international sector associations and various academic institutions participate with their studies on the subject.
An opportunity for market operators to discuss public transport strategies and prospects greenbut also of all those themes that today revolve around the great challenges of energy transitiondigitalisation and innovation.
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