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TECHNOLOGY

Using Blockchain for

Mobility as a Service

The MaaS industry is likely to grow
to a business worth over one trillion
by 2030. Connectivity, accessibility

and affordability are the main
goals of the transport industry
while minimizing externalities
like accidents, environmental

effects and congestion. Blockchain
Common Database is an important
Prof. Vinay Maitri Soumik Das
step in this endeavour, write
Soumik Das and Prof. Vinay

Maitri, Department of Transport
Planning, School of Planning and
Architecture, New Delhi

aaS being attributed Blockchain is an expanding list of Ministry of Infrastructure and Water
as the next generation records called blocks that are linked Management in 2019), developed a
of mobility solutions, using cryptography. It is a decentralized common database platform - officially
can be described as and distributed system of recording known as the Blockchain Common
Ma shift from privately transactions in a digital ledger which Database or BCDB - using blockchain
owned vehicles to providing mobility is often public. This allows, by design, for MaaS. It is designed to run on
as service. It seeks to integrate various a blockchain to store sensitive data IoT (Internet of Things) and cloud
modes of transport available in the with less uncertainty of alteration and technologies to optimize the routes
public and private sector - public hence allows verification and audit of and recommend various transportation
transport, bike-sharing, car rentals and the transactions inexpensively. This means to reach the destination. During
lease or a combination of these - into algorithm was conceptualized by an the entire process from booking to
a single service accessible on demand. anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto in clearing, it provides users complete
As per the White Paper 2017, the 2008 and provides a relatively efficient details of their journey including the
fundamental principle and the core alternative to the implementation of the proposed route, cost of travel and
idea behind deploying MaaS is its user- MaaS across transport services. estimated journey time. This product is
centricity, customer--centricity and Sony Corporation (“Sony”) as a independently developed by Sony and
market-centricity within a societally proposal to the Blockchain Challenge as of trials ending in March, 2020 can
grounded context. Programme (by the Netherlands service seven million users per day while

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