Sharing information on public transport with RFID and NFC technologies: an application proposal

Abstract

Public transport in large Brazilian cities present deficiencies related to providing timely information to users on data regarding route, terminals and schedules of bus lines, updates on cases of delay, among others. Technologies can be useful for sharing information to assist urban transport in general. In this context, the present paper has the objective to discuss the proposed application Smart Bus, which uses NFC (Near Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technologies to share information on public transport. With this theoretical framework, a survey of projects using NFC and RFID technologies in urban transport and applications that contribute to traffic information management was carried out. Then, the use of the Smart Bus application and the results of sharing information in public transport systems were discussed. At the end, the contribution of the application to mapping the profile of roads, buses and passengers, locating delays and providing data for management of public transport was evident. Implications to privacy and security of passenger information, as well as to the technological infrastructure necessary for implementing projects under the concepts of Smart Cities and the Internet of Things, were notable.

Keywords:
Public transport; Information technology; RFID; NFC; Smart cities