Canadian mobility firm BusPas, a specialist in connected IoT infrastructure at solar-powered bus stops, has won the Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility competition and been awarded a year-long pilot for its technology in the city.

With the support of La Délégation du Québec, Investissement Québec and ACCIO (Catalonia Trade & Investment Office in Montréal), BusPas will be installing the AI-powered technologies at bus stops and shelters in Barcelona, Spain.

The Barcelona smart city competition celebrates innovation and excellence in urban mobility. The winning offering enhances urban furniture, including bus stops, with data receptors that are used to offer a suite of services for cities and transportation agencies. The urban furniture becomes a data hub and a foundation for Barcelona’s vision of a smart city.

 The shared infrastructure is equipped with edge-processed computer vision, real-time passenger information, video and audio, and safety features that make the transit experience better by providing Barcelona with bus lane and bus stop enforcement.

“It’s an honour to partner with Transit Metropolitain of Barcelona and the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità de Barcelona to implement a ground-breaking project focusing on bus lane and bus stop violation, security enhancements, and improved passenger information,” said Youval Abenhaim, CEO of BusPas.

As BusPas’ first European engagement, winning the Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility competition is a major milestone for the Montréal-based innovator. Additionally, the San Francisco-based company, Hayden AI (www.hayden.ai), was selected for the same competition. This achievement follows BusPas’ recent success in the New York Transit Tech Lab, where the company was selected from over 150 organisations as a finalist in the customer experience category.

BusPas is dedicated to developing intelligent, scalable, data-driven infrastructure for public transportation operations and planning. By using BusPas technologies, transit authorities can demonstrate a commitment to improving the passenger experience at bus stops with inclusive and real-time travel information, automatic lighting, and audio announcements. In addition, with bus lane and bus stop enforcement, BusPas can gradually change driver behaviour, enhance safety in reserved spaces and create revenue streams for municipalities.

The company employs a comprehensive approach to urban mobility, integrating power-grid, solar power and hybrid options to ensure its systems are environmentally friendly and sustainable. The company’s innovations have also been shown to reduce bus delays, improve safety and enhance the overall passenger experience. By providing real-time travel information and automated alerts, its systems help passengers make more informed decisions

BusPas (buspas.com) will show its technology at the Tomorrow Mobility World Congress (www.tomorrowmobility.com) in Barcelona in November 2024.