New challenges – and opportunities – for transport modellers. What Modelling World 2015 speakers say...

The great inflow: CASA`s visualisation shows where London`s commuters go

The great inflow: CASA`s visualisation shows where London`s commuters go

Modelling World 2015 will open, as usual, with a session exploring the key issues on the modelling agenda; this year, we'll be discussing the use of new data sources and their implications for the future of models. 

The context in which new data sources are used is ripe for disucssion. Keynote speaker Dr Ed Manley from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) at University College London, remains positive, if cautious. “Many of the recent applications of Big Transportation Data have failed to live up to the much-hyped anticipation,” he says. “These data sources, however, become truly valuable when their full heterogeneity is properly leveraged. We are able to understand the travel behaviours of individuals better than ever before, at unrestricted spatial and temporal scales. Yet, in order to make the most of these new insights, this must be twinned with a development in transportation modelling that enables the full encapsulation of these behaviours.”

There is no doubt that opportunities exist. “The advent of Big Data is exciting,” says says David Connolly, Systra’s Director of Innovation. “It will provide the opportunity to reduce data costs and timescales, freeing up resources to fine tune model detail and increase complexity to meet clients’ needs. Models for 'real time' operational decision-making will make more use of tracking data from a range of sources, including mobile device data.” 

Meeting client needs is key. “A flat economy has brought about innovative, low cost appraisal techniques with lower data costs which have responded to the shift in emphasis towards regeneration and job creation. In a post austerity world, we should continue to develop these appraisal methods,” says  Connolly.

Simon Hania, vice president of privacy and security at TomTom and also a Modelling World keynote speaker, is well aware of issues around privacy. “TomTom must take more action to better communicate how it uses customer data, and now informs customers how it will use travel data, asking for explicit permission beforehand. Data is also encrypted and anonymised. If you cannot explain to your users what you are doing and why, maybe you shouldn't be doing it,” says Hania. “Privacy means a lot to a lot of people.”

TomTom plans to crowdsource information to build up a database of travel routes. “We are allowing users to change the map. You report errors, and we'll make sure we get these errors checked, vetted and approved within 24 hours so you will have a fresh map every day instead of three months. We're not there yet, but in two or three years we will be,” says Hania. 

Intelligent Mobility Consultant Nick Bromley, also speaking at Modelling World, has his own concerns. “The issue of data privacy is key. Public-facing PTEs and LAs have been cautious with new data from tracking technologies, insisting that privacy is protected at the very least through anonymisation. The public and politicians are increasingly worried at the loss of control over personal data by subscribers, who now expect some sort of up-front communication from the operator about what they're doing with our data and the offer of an 'opt-out' option. 

“Not all mobile operators or public bodies are putting adequate safeguards in place to properly protect users/subscribers,” he adds. “Clearly, if one mobile operator is identified as not offering adequate privacy protection, then the risk is that others will be similarly tainted. What has positive benefits and cost savings for everyone could well come to an abrupt halt.”

View the Modelling World Programme