Grab and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, together with the World Bank Group, have launched the Open Traffic smart data platform in Malaysia today.
The initiative supplies traffic data from Grab’s GPS data streams at no cost to traffic management agencies, governments and city planners, allowing for better management of traffic flow and investment decisions on local transport infrastructure.
The platform translates Grab drivers’ GPS data into anonymised traffic data, mapping traffic speeds on roads for analysing traffic congestion peak patterns and travel times.
Local government agencies can then use the gathered data to enhance existing traffic management systems like optimising traffic light control and coordination. This can help ease congestion during peak hour traffic, which in turn reduces carbon emission and commuters’ travel time.
Malaysia is the second country to be given access to the OpenTraffic platform after the Phillippines in April 2016. Since its introduction in the island country, there has been an improvement in traffic signal times along the primary west-east arterial in Cebu City. This is done without the need for additional infrastructure investment.
“At Grab, we maintain one of the largest datasets in the region derived from our drivers’ GPS data across Southeast Asia. As the region’s leading ride hailing platform, we want to contribute by sharing our data and working alongside local government agencies to make transport more accessible for the 620 million people in the region.
“We are certainly excited to participate in the OpenTraffic project to help shape and improve Malaysia’s transport sector,” said Sean Goh, country head of Grab Malaysia.
“By leveraging big data partnerships and open-source tools, transport agencies in both emerging and advanced economies can address urban mobility challenges more efficiently and effectively,” noted Faris Hadad-Zervos, country manager for World Bank Group Global Knowledge and Research Hub in Malaysia.
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One huge step for Grab. Many issues to sort out.. but this a good one. Good stuff!c
This reminds me of the GPS tracking system of KLIA limousine back when KLIA was opened. Supposedly can track individual limos and they can reach you faster. Even fitted a plastic hump on the car boot. End up, nothing. Cakap shiok saja. Today, the same limo company is so badly run and managed but still insist passengers take their run down “limos”. Everything in Msia today is talk big but end up shiok sendiri.
Good one