Smart City Index: Major cities are committed to digitalisation when it comes to mobility

Major German cities are increasingly focussing on digital technologies for buses, trains, cars and bikes. Last year, more than three quarters of major cities (78 per cent) had smart networked traffic lights, compared to just 42 per cent in 2020. Digital traffic signs were used in one in two (50 per cent), compared to 17 per cent in 2020.

Connected mobility on the rise

The use of so-called multimodal apps, which bundle various mobility providers such as public transport, taxis or car and bike sharing, has also more than doubled since 2020 - from 24 to 57 per cent. And in 72 per cent of cities, there are mobility stations (2020: 43 per cent) that serve as connection points between public transport, sharing services and private transport.

‘Mobility, whether for travelling to work and education or for leisure, is of paramount importance for people's quality of life - and a real challenge, especially in large cities. Digital technologies improve traditional road and rail transport, but they also offer completely new forms of mobility,’ says Sven Wagner, Smart City expert at Bitkom. ‘Bitkom's Smart City Index clearly shows how digital technologies in mobility have become much more widespread in recent years, starting with a few pioneering cities. Today, digital mobility services are virtually a must for a smart city.’

Significant growth in sharing services

There is also clear growth in sharing concepts in cities, which act as a supplement to traditional public transport services and private transport. E-scooters can be rented in 87 per cent of large cities (2020: 58 per cent), bicycles in 82 per cent (2020 not surveyed, 2021: 63 per cent), e-scooters in 40 per cent (2020: 19 per cent) and car-sharing services are still available in almost all cities (90 per cent, 2020: 96 per cent).

Ridepooling and ridehailing services, which take different passengers on a shared route or serve as a supplement to traditional taxis, have also increased significantly since the first survey in 2021, with 16 per cent each, to 45 per cent (ridehailing) and 49 per cent (ride-sharing).

The Swiss Federal Council is planning to reorganise the legal framework for artificial intelligence in Switzerland. The aim is to protect fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law while strengthening innovation and competitiveness. The aim is to ensure legal certainty in dealing with artificial intelligence in public authorities and companies. At the same time, the use of AI technologies within the federal administration is being expanded.

More than 13,000 data points for 82 cities

A total of 13,284 data points were collected, reviewed and qualified for the Smart City Index 2024, which is 567 more than in the previous year. All 82 cities with a population of more than 100,000 were analysed and evaluated in the five areas of administration, IT and communication, energy and environment, mobility, society and education.

These and other detailed results of the Smart City Index can be found in the current Smart City Index study report.