Simplifying users' lives with new technologies: that's the goal set by participants at Transports Publics 2018, with a particular focus on dematerialisation tickets. Whether cardboard or plastic rectangles, traditional 'passes' look set to disappear. Yet while the transition from analogue to digital is a reality in many countries, France is lagging behind.
To catch up, start-ups are innovating and starting to integrate their technologies into French mobility networks. MyBus, for example, and its M-Ticket allow users to replace physical tickets with QR codes.. To validate, passengers simply need to take a photo of the code displayed on a bus using the dedicated application. The advantage of this system is that it simplifies the process at a lower cost to the operator. It also makes the passenger experience much smoother, making it easier to manage their season ticket and validate their ticket. MyBus has already been deployed on five French transport networks, including Bayonne and Arcachon. It will also be installed in Clermont-Ferrand, Arles and Vichy.
The TixiPass application has chosen a different approach. In fact, it has a function that locates the networks available around the smartphone user and then buy a virtual ticket for one of these means of transport. TixiPass is concentrated mainly in medium-sized towns and cities, such as Ajaccio, La Rochelle and Troyes, as well as Sophia-Antipolis, which is well known to business travellers. TixiPass plans to expand into a further ten or so cities by the end of the year.
But the project with the strongest guarantees is called Wizway, not least because of the players involved: this joint venture between Orange, Gemalto, SNCF and RATP is based on NFC (Near Field Communication). This technology - which is also used for contactless payment - is based on NFC (Near Field Communication). enables two machines to exchange data when they move towards each other. " Wizway offers an API module that can be integrated into transport network applications. When the user buys a ticket, it is downloaded onto the smartphone or SIM card, and when the passenger validates their ticket with their smartphone, the machine scans them. "explains Nicole Louvat, Director of Development at Wizway. At the Viva TechnologyThe SNCF, RATP and the Île-de-France region had announced a test phase starting this autumn, with the commercial service open to all due to be launched in summer 2019. The solution has also won over the Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois, and is due to be introduced in Lille as part of a new partnership.
