Transportation is changing. How we move around in the city or town we live in directly impacts our quality of life. It informs how we’ll prepare our schedule in the morning, the places we’ll visit, and, ultimately, how we’ll relate to each other coming in and leaving a spot. As the world becomes more modern and streamlined, so too will the way we move around. The year is coming to an end, and what better chance to prepare for the next one? This article will dig into a few interesting trends we may see coming up in 2025.
AI-Driven Transportation
The rise of AI-driven vehicles will continue to shape the road. In the past year, automation companies have emerged, each building their own technology and bringing it closer to the expected safety of users and passengers. According to the UK government, in the summer of 2024, self-driving vehicles could be on the road by 2026.
Companies like Canada’s NuPort Robotics are already creating driverless trucks, while India’s Minus-Zero is preparing driverless autonomous cars for difficult terrain. Both companies have developed ground-breaking technology based on safety and responsiveness. Cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, alongside the company Waymo and others, were crucial to testing self-driving vehicles in a city, and their work has informed the progress we’ve seen across the country.
The Internet of Things
One of the most intriguing concepts related to technology is the Internet of Things notion of appliances and machines in a network collecting, sharing, and leveraging data. The transportation industry could prepare the transportation industry to make better-informed decisions based on traffic reports picked up by sensors and translated into speed limits and more, making for a smoother experience.
According to Vakoms, the Internet of Things already supports private vehicles and public transportation in many ways. It supports communication within the network, monitoring vehicle health, surveillance, and route conditions, allowing the network to adjust and adapt. Furthermore, it empowers passengers to schedule their trips based on vehicle location and any changes in service. This kind of technology will only grow stronger in 2025 as companies and governments find new ways to improve it.
Advanced Connectivity and Smart Infrastructure
Connecting the different options for public transportation can be tricky, as it involves coordinating different structures that power the various modes of transport. Still, the potential benefits are well worth it. By working with reliable wireless communications and leveraging real-time data, a city’s public transit network can offer a more reliable, informative and accurate experience. To take it one step further, creating a more innovative transit infrastructure can help emergency response throughout the city and ensure that buses, ferries, and trains operate more seamlessly by constantly communicating with each other and a central command.
Cybersecurity
As transportation networks become more modern and interconnected, authorities all over could greatly benefit from investing in reliable cybersecurity systems to protect their vehicles and riders. Recently, the TSA released a press release detailing their new cybersecurity measures for railroads and other modes of transportation. After all, a single breach can interrupt the flow of each network. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency insisted on the importance of cybersecurity as early as January 2022, as “cyber-attacks could potentially target communications and navigation systems, power grids, and various elements of the transportation sector to disrupt the nation’s ability to command and control operations.” Check out the cybersecurity page to learn more about how LYT keeps up with cybersecurity measures.
Sustainable Transportation
In addition to EVs taking on the street, 2025 will also see a rise in sustainable options for public transportation. In an article by EV Magazine posted in November 2024, they discuss a few insights by Trimble Transportation’s Christopher Keating. According to him, in 2025, sustainability in the transportation industry will be imperative as governments enforce stricter standards.
Private and Public EV Charger Infrastructure
As buses, trucks, and other vehicles switch to electric vehicle technology, overall infrastructure in cities and roads will support EV owners. Countries like Canada and New Zealand are already expanding the reach of their public charging stations, with the latter aiming to add one station within 150–200 km of each other and setting up at least 600 chargers in rural areas. This can support the growing public transportation network as well as private owners.
Additionally, companies worldwide are exploring home EV chargers. While public charging stations are commonly the fastest option, home chargers can improve EV usage by fully charging a vehicle within eight hours. As previously discussed, this availability will also likely increase interest in private EVs.
Changes in Trucking
In 2023, the International Road Transport Union reported a 7% reduction in truck driver positions worldwide—except in the US and Europe. However, the insights may still be helpful in the coming year. According to their research, one possible cause is the median age of drivers (roughly 40 years) and the few of them who are 25 or younger.
This drop represents an opportunity for the industry, though. Automation and semiautomation could drastically improve warehouse operations and free up potential drivers for longer-haul needs. Moreover, AI technologies could optimize routes and driver times.
Conclusion
The evolution of technology from private and public options can greatly improve transportation networks in cities and across countries. As we’ve seen, 2025 will be a crucial year on the road to lower carbon emissions and more efficient transportation. These trends will help governments and companies like us as we choose to build better lives with less traffic.
If you’d like to learn more about our commitment to cybersecurity or how LYT’s solutions can benefit your community, check out our cybersecurity page to learn more.
Let’s keep moving forward—safely and securely.
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