Too much traffic pollutes the environment and is a stress factor. This is especially true for vacation paradises, such as the German North Sea island of Sylt. Here, guests particularly appreciate a stress-free atmosphere with clean sea air. A change in mobility is therefore absolutely essential for effective environmental protection, as the Sylt transport company has recognized. That's why it is launching an innovative mobility platform to intelligently control the mobility behavior of residents and tourists and thus actively change it.

Crowded streets, long searches for parking spaces - German road users know these problems all too well. The popular vacation island of Sylt is not exempt from this. But for motorists to give up the convenience of their own vehicles, attractive alternatives must be offered. Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft, the operator of public transport on the island, has been working on this issue for some time. The first step toward a mobility turnaround was a pilot project with an autonomously driving bus. Now the innovation leaders are going one step further: guests and residents can request minibuses with electric drives as needed. The environmentally friendly vehicles take up to seven people to the desired destination. This can be, for example, an island region that is not covered by regular public transport or a public transport connection point. Another innovative feature is the booking and payment of the ride-pooling service, which will be available from the start of the season. An app has been specially developed for using the mobility platform.

Ride-pooling service available on Sylt from the start of the season

As a specialist in mobility concepts for cities and municipalities, highQ Computerlösungen was able to contribute as a partner here. The application was tailored to the individual requirements of the users and can still be expanded even now. Because the mobility turnaround is only just beginning. If alternatives to one's own car are offered that can be used in an uncomplicated and flexible manner, many road users will be willing to switch to public transportation. Mobility platforms, like the one now on Sylt, make an important contribution to this through intelligent networking. This is because users can not only book the service via the app, but also pay the rental fee or ticket at the same time.

Targeted motivational measures make it easier to give up the car

The service provided by such platforms is not limited to selling driving services. They also offer extensive motivation and control options, and current information is included. If there are closures or delays due to road works or traffic jams, users are notified and can choose a different route, including mobility services from other providers. Users who indicate that they like to ride a bicycle receive appropriate route suggestions. If the additional services provided by the platform are not yet able to persuade users to switch, there are targeted motivational measures, such as discounts for cultural and leisure activities. Guaranteed access to bike boxes for expensive e-bikes can also be an incentive.

Using artificial intelligence to manage traffic flows in real time

On the island of Sylt, a sustainable change in mobility behavior is to be achieved bit by bit. The aim is not only to optimize individual mobility, but also to use the highQ MobilitySuite to establish cross-modal information that can really change mobility. For the future, it is planned to also use artificial intelligence (AI) to control traffic flows in real time. If an event is expected to generate a lot of traffic, for example, digital neural networks can reroute cars to other routes or users can use alternative services. New-generation mobility platforms also have the advantage of being very flexible. They adapt to the different conditions in each region and thus enable highly individualized offers.

Conclusion:

A mobility turnaround is necessary to protect the environment and increase the quality of life for all transport users. One way to achieve this is through innovative mobility platforms, such as those now being introduced by the vacation island of Sylt. They offer attractive services such as minibuses with electric drive through an on-demand system as well as many other offers.  These individual services increase the chance that users will switch from their own cars to public transport and sustainably reduce traffic volumes.