Israel is taking smart transportation seriously. The Transportation Ministry and Israel Innovation Authority are working together to dedicate upwards of $8 million dollars annually to promote and provide ways to advance smart transport. The collaborative forces are boosting Israel to the next level by shifting their infrastructure to support the fast-paced innovations and technologies rolling out in the transit sector.
Along with the financial boost, the Transportation Ministry will offer a smoother and more streamlined process for technologies to be approved and for pilot projects to be carried out. The aim of the new collaboration is to support Israel as a central smart transportation hub, to support start up technologies, and to create a more effective and efficient transport system in Israel. The focus will be to decrease traffic and accidents, reduce oil usage, and encourage public transport.
Another reason why the Transportation Ministry is choosing to create and invest in a smoother channel for Israeli technology startups is to be able to use the chaos of current Israeli society as a real time example to be able to test, improve and then market valuable transit products and services.
The active role the Ministry and innovation authority have chosen to take prove that shifting longtime procedures and processes is possible, as long as they can clearly see the benefits. Israel has been a growing hub for transportation innovation from the get go, which was thrust into the spotlight when Google purchased Israeli application Waze in 2013. Other Israeli technologies are rising globally as well. Gett, a ride-sharing app, similar to Uber or Lyft, raised $80 million dollars to support its growth and maintenance. What started as a technology in Israel now has its own market operating in 120 cities across the world.
This collaboration is a great example of what the future might look like if sectors continue to cooperate, collaborate and act in the best interest for all.
