The role of telecommunications in managing traffic, supporting the cars of the future and, potentially, helping the environment has been underlined by a smart parking initiative on the way in Qatar and an electric vehicle (EV) services agreement in Malaysia.
Plans for a vehicle parking management project in Qatar were announced at a press conference this week, when the Technical Office of the Minister of Municipality, the Digital Innovation Department of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's Digital Industry Sector, and the Public Works Authority unveiled plans for the installation of sensors and identification panels in public parking lots located in West Bay, the Corniche, and Central Doha.
Among the areas the smart parking management system will cover are parking reservations, fee collection, violation control, and enforcement of penalties.
The objectives of the parking regulation project in Qatar include minimising congestion, promoting the use of public transport, improving road traffic safety and making better use of Qatar's road and land resources.
Meanwhile, Malaysian mobile service provider CelcomDigi and energy infrastructure and technology company Yinson Holdings say they plan to partner in the development of innovative electric vehicle (EV) services and infrastructure for Malaysian consumers, driving EV and green energy adoption in the country.
The collaboration will enable Yinson to leverage CelcomDigi’s 4G LTE and 5G network to power up the connectivity for chargEV, the nation’s largest charge point operator, as well as for rydeEV (which provides micromobility solutions) and drivEV (a leasing partner for businesses that specializes in customised solutions to reduce the complexity of transitioning to EV).
In addition, both companies say they will work together to explore new, innovative solutions that will allow consumers to stay connected while having easier everyday access to clean, technology-enhanced services including eBikes, electric vehicles, EV charging stations and solar infrastructure integration.
It’s an ambitious programme – but CelcomDigi is a big operator with vast reach, and the importance of telecommunications in smart and green initiatives is clearly growing. That said, it may be some time before either of these two projects can be seen to have an identifiably positive effect on traffic or the environment.
