ZERO: Integrated and Inclusive Mobility: Barrier-Free Access, Payment, and Transit

The ZERO project presents itself as an innovative solution to address the challenges of accessibility, inclusion, and sustainability in urban mobility. Designed to facilitate the use of both public and private transportation, its focus is especially directed at vulnerable groups, seeking to overcome barriers such as the digital divide and to promote a safe, integrated, and accessible transportation system. Through IoT technologies, ZERO simplifies authentication and payments in transportation, while enhancing the user experience through interactive applications. Its goal is to provide a safe, multimodal transportation service with personalized fares, promoting sustainable mobility tailored to individual needs.

The project is built on four key pillars: artificial intelligence for a flexible fare structure, an IoT device for biometric or contactless authentication, mobile and web applications to maximize accessibility, and advanced cryptographic technologies to protect data. This integrated ecosystem promises to revolutionize mobility, promoting inclusion and simplifying transportation usage processes.

Supported by a consortium of specialized partners, ZERO seeks to make a significant impact on the lives of vulnerable people, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and new regulations on inclusive and sustainable mobility. The project will be tested in real-world scenarios, ensuring its practical viability and future commercialization, with the support of the Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT). Project partners include THE BASEMENT, a leader in innovation and AI, EMT, which will provide the operational environment, UPM-TRANSyT, responsible for socioeconomic analysis, UPM-STRAST, focused on data privacy and security, and UC3M-HULAT, responsible for ensuring accessibility and inclusion.

Together, the ZERO project stands as a key step toward accessible, sustainable, and equitable mobility for all, recognizing mobility as a fundamental right that contributes to social cohesion and collective well-being.

Funding: €339,079.25