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Living Roads: IoT paves the way to cost-effective fleet management, safer roads, and reduced traffic congestion
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
- Networks & Connectivity - Cellular
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Cities & Municipalities
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Fleet Management
- Remote Asset Management
- Traffic Monitoring
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Data Science Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Nairobi, one of the world's fastest-growing cities, was struggling with managing its fleet of garbage trucks due to poor road conditions and traffic. The city had recently invested over USD3 million in new waste collection vehicles, but the expected improvements in waste management efficiency were not being realized. The city needed a cost-effective method of capturing data about road and traffic conditions that would not require the investment and maintenance costs of a traditional solution.
About The Customer
Nairobi City County is the governing body for one of the world's fastest-growing cities, Nairobi. The city is facing increasing pressure on its systems and infrastructure due to its rapid growth. It is estimated that Nairobi loses up to USD1 million every day due to the impact of congestion on lost productivity, fuel consumption, traffic accidents, air quality, and many other issues. The city recently invested over USD3 million in new waste collection vehicles to improve its waste management processes. However, due to difficult road conditions and traffic, the new trucks were struggling to deliver the improvements in waste management efficiency that the city had expected.
The Solution
IBM Research – Africa's mobility team installed adapted smartphones in a number of the city’s waste collection trucks. As the trucks drive around the city, the phones’ sensors stream data about each vehicle’s location, speed, acceleration and vibration levels to an IBM analytics solution in the cloud. The data is collected by a custom-developed app known as IBM® StreetSense. IBM Internet of Things Foundation provides the interface between the smartphones and IBM InfoSphere® Streams, which enables real-time analytics of where the vehicles are and why they are stopping. The data is stored in an IBM Cloudant® database, and IBM Bluemix™ is used to deliver the results of the analysis to users in the county administration.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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