The Public Transportation Industry Lacks Innovation, Says CEO of Public Transit Optimization Startup Optibus

"What is the most efficient way of moving people in and around the city?" asked Amos Haggiag, co-founder and CEO of public transit optimization startup Optibus Ltd., on Tuesday. "This is one of the most fundamental challenges of transportation," he added. City planners must take into account buses, tubes, metro, taxis, as well as private cars, bikes, and pedestrians, Haggiag explained. "Every city in the world spends hundreds of millions of dollars on public transit but it is an industry with almost no innovation and technology."

Haggiag spoke at a conference on innovation held jointly by Calcalist and events firm Connecting Leaders Club at the Mondial de l'Automobile auto show in Paris.

Founded in 2014, Tel Aviv-based Optibus develops cloud software that uses artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies for planning and managing public transportation by collecting real-time data and making recommendations for transit operators