Data-Driven Urban Mobility Assessment for Applications in Sweden and the USA
Modern cities are turning to Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) to tackle traffic and pollution, but these plans are often hindered by fragmented data and rigid, outdated simulation models. This project bridges that gap by introducing a breakthrough, data-driven methodology that eliminates the need for complex manual calibration. By transforming real-time data from sensors and mobile networks into clear, network-wide traffic predictions, we are providing city planners with a practical tool to make faster, evidence-based decisions for a cleaner and more efficient transport future.
Urban areas across the globe are confronting significant urban challenges, primarily driven by traffic congestion and environmental pollution. To navigate these issues, municipalities increasingly rely on strategic frameworks like Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). These plans are vital for setting long-term goals and coordinating actions towards a more resilient transport future.
However, a significant limitation persists in the execution of these plans. The effectiveness of any SUMP depends on the quality of the data underpinning it. Currently, cities face a landscape of fragmented data: information from diverse sources—such as traffic sensors, public transit usage, and complex simulation models—is rarely in a format suitable for direct, comprehensive sustainability assessment.
This challenge is further amplified by the emergence of new mobility solutions, including shared and automated transport. These innovations introduce new layers of complexity in the planning process.
A critical gap exists between raw data and informed decision-making. Current state-of-the-art simulation tools require extensive, continuous manual calibration to reflect real-world dynamics. When a city introduces a temporary bus route or closes a road for construction, planners often lack the agile tools needed to assess the immediate impact on the transport network.
The project
This project will develop a practical tool based on a novel data-driven network loading methodology developed in recent research. Unlike existing models, this technique relies on data alone and does not require manual model calibration.
By integrating historical and near-real-time data from sources like link counts, mobile networks, and location data from connected probe vehicles, the platform will operate through three core pillars:
- Data Ingestion: Processing disparate sources, from static road layouts to dynamic streams from IoT sensors and connected mobility services.
- Data Fusion: Assimilating fragmented information into a single, unified view of the entire mobility ecosystem.
- Actionable Output: Translating data into visualizations and custom KPIs (e.g., link-level travel time, origin-destination demand, and mode-split estimations). These outputs also serve as high-quality data exports to simplify and accelerate the calibration of a city’s existing transport planning models.
The Partnership & Global Application
The project bridges the gap between academic research and a commercially viable product through a strategic transatlantic partnership:
- Research Coordination: Linköping University (LiU) provides the core scientific expertise in sustainable transport and data fusion.
- Technical Development: Xtelligent Inc and Xtelligent AB lead the platform implementation and UI/UX design.
- Real-World Validation: Miami-Dade Innovation Authority and Norrköping Municipality provide the use cases—enabling planners to monitor traffic during events like the World Cup or analyze the effects of temporary road closures related to the Ostlänken railway.
This collaboration is the result of a joint effort led by Future Mobility, co-funded by Vinnova and the Swedish Energy Agency, and in collaboration with California’s Air Resources Board, Public Utilities Commission, and Energy Commission. The initiative is designed to foster partnerships and make the research and innovation (R&I) network between Sweden and the United States denser and to speed up the development towards sustainable mobility.
Project manager: Clas Rydergren, Linköping University
Parties: Linköping University, Xtelligent Inc, Xtelligent AB, Miami Dade Innovation Authority, Norrköping Municipality
Period
2025 to 2026
Innovation projects
Hans Pohl
