ZDnet ran this interesting article on The tech behind Helsinki’s ambitious plan to kill off private vehicles.
You need to go to the link and read the article to understand what they are proposing (and starting to do) is all about. However, the guts of what is proposed is:
- A single computer platform that allows users to:
- Book and pay for services (Ex: To travel from A to B or hire a car or a bike.)
- Stay informed re things that may affect the trip and be a reason to change plan. (Ex: The effect of weather change on a bike trip.)
- The same platform directs and redirects vehicles. (Ex: The route of a flexible bus service that picks up and drops off people.)
- An entrepreneurial free for all that allows for a mix of traditional public transport, private minibuses, bikes taxis and….
This statement says it all:
“I now declare Finland as the country for open traffic experiments – Finland is a Traffic Lab,” proclaimed Henna Virkkunen, Finland’s transport and local government minister, in June.
Doesn’t sound as though it would fit into the Team Australia plan.
Move over, Henry Ford, here comes Sonja Heikkila.
Terrific concept – and yes, there are bugs to be worked out – but who ever heard of a prototype that worked perfectly right from the start?
Of course Tomb Australia won’t like it. It’s something new, that’s why – and if something like this is let loose in Australia, it will mean the end of …. the end of …. well, it will mean the end of lots of things we are used to and we don’t want that, do we?
Yep: Wouldn’t want creative chaos would we Graham?