By Calvin Dludla

It will improve safety in the rail sector and also introduce smart payment methods for the taxi industry. This emerged at the Smarter Mobility Africa Summit at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says introducing AI and other technological advancements will help improve safety within the transport industry in South Africa.

“I think this summit is really about developing our understanding of the smart mobilities sector. Some of the technologies being demonstrated here today, I first heard about them when I first attended an Artificial Intelligence conference in Japan. But here we see a reality of self-drive vehicles and understanding the role which AI  can play in prioritizing safety,” says Creecy.

Gautrain management says using new technology in the high-speed commuter rail system will go a long way in improving efficiencies.

“You have to make sure that you put new systems in place. You cannot continue with thinking that the way you did things a few years ago will work as time moves. That is what smarter mobility is about. It is about us finding innovative ideas that ensure that even the Gautrain can be moved forward and the technology that we have bought can be rekindled to do better than it did previously,” says Gautrain Chief Executive Officer Tshepo Kgobe.

The taxi industry is also taking advantage of new technology. The largest public transport industry relies heavily on cash for transacting but now there are plans to introduce a cashless payment system.

“Previously, communities would rely only on cash when they pay in taxis but now, they have other options. Now they can use their bank cards by simply just tapping and paying for their ride. A solution which we partnered with Loop, this is now alive in Cape Town where commuters can tap and just pay for their taxi rides,” says Visa Senior Manager Vinesh Ramnarain.

The Summit concludes on Friday.

-SABC--