Wise transport: the future of smarter, greener, people-centered mobility

Prof. Zhu Hehua, Honorary Chair Professor, Tongji University

The World Smart Cities Outlook 2024 from UN-Habitat highlights how smart city strategies improve sustainability, resilience, and quality of life. At the heart of a smart city is transport: the system that moves people, vehicles, and data.

As urban populations rise and environmental concerns intensify, smart transport is becoming essential. It goes beyond better roads or faster vehicles to encompass the use of cutting-edge digital technology—AI, big data, the Internet of Things—to make mobility more intelligent, efficient, and people-focused.

In China, that idea is taking shape in a strategic framework known as “1+1+N.”

The “1+1+N” Framework

Developed by Huawei, the “1+1+N” model aims to guide the evolution of urban transport. The first “1” refers to unified urban planning that integrates ground, underground, and low-altitude transportation. The second “1” is a digital platform powered by digital twin technologies for real-time sensing, decision-making, and operations. The “N” includes subsystems covering everything from rail and road to logistics, energy, and emergency response.

This framework is built on resilience, intelligence, greenness, and humanity. The goal is to build cities that are safe, sustainable, efficient, and “people-centered.” According to the UN Habitat report, people-centered cities are those that consistently improve the quality of life, the efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness, while ensuring that they meet the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental, and cultural aspects.

From smart to wise

Globally, smart transport systems are becoming more common. In the West, advanced road networks already use AI to optimize traffic flow and personalize services. In China, V2X (“vehicle-to-everything”) communication, 5G-enabled highways, and intelligent road trials are underway in cities such as Shanghai.

These technologies form the foundation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) that make roads safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly.

But intelligence alone isn’t enough. What’s needed is “wisdom.”

The concept of wise transport goes a step beyond “smart.” It’s not just about automation and control, but instead aims to align technology with social values, long-term sustainability, and human well-being. This means moving from reactive systems to proactive, adaptive ones that can support a wide range of urban needs.

Wise transport is guided not only by efficiency and innovation, but also by ethics, equity, and inclusion. It emphasizes system-level thinking, integration with city governance, and resilience in the face of disruptions like extreme weather or cyberattacks. For example, low-altitude aviation—a relatively new frontier—is now being incorporated into urban mobility systems, supported by Huawei’s new platform that uses a dedicated aerial network and cloud architecture.

By 2035, China aims to roll out widespread sensing infrastructure, spatiotemporal services via satellites equipped with BeiDou (a system similar to GPS), and smart vehicles across land, water, and air. The goal is not just to build smarter transport—but a truly wise system that is adaptive, green, and people-first.

Four dimensions of a wise transport system

The wise transport vision builds on four main dimensions: resilience, intelligence, greenness, and humanity. Let’s look at each in turn.

1. Resilience: building a robust backbone

Modern cities need transport systems that can withstand shocks—be they natural disasters, technical failures, or cyber threats. A resilient system can sense, respond to, and recover from disruptions quickly. This requires layered transport networks, intelligent monitoring systems, and improved emergency response capabilities. In short, resilience is the foundation that ensures cities keep moving even when the unexpected occurs.

2. Intelligence: powering smarter decisions

AI, 5G, big data, and intelligent infrastructure are transforming how cities manage transport. Smart traffic lights that adjust in real time, vehicle-to-everything networks, and central “traffic brains” that coordinate across the network are already improving efficiency and service quality. The long-term shift is away from human control and toward autonomous coordination, where data-driven systems manage flows dynamically and continuously.

3. Greenness: driving a low-carbon future

Transport accounts for a large share of urban carbon emissions. Wise transport supports China’s carbon neutrality goals by improving public transit, optimizing traffic patterns, and encouraging new energy vehicles, or NEVs. (NEV is the official term adopted by China. It includes pure electric cars, plug-in hybrids that use both a battery and fuel, and hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, which are still comparatively rare).

Greener mobility isn’t just good for the environment—it also helps cities operate more efficiently and attract investment in sustainable industries.

4. Humanity: putting people at the center

Wise transport is ultimately about improving people’s lives. That means making commuting easier, safer, and more accessible—especially for pedestrians, cyclists, and those with limited mobility. It also means designing systems that distribute resources fairly and take into account cultural and historical elements of the city.

While ITS has focused mainly on technical efficiency, wise transport adds a human touch. It’s about proactive planning, user-friendly services, and systems that adapt to real human needs. It makes urban mobility not just smarter, but more meaningful as well.

Putting it into practice: Shanghai and Chongqing

China is already piloting wise transport systems in major cities. Shanghai and Chongqing are leading the way, each with distinct approaches shaped by local conditions.

In Shanghai, a detailed evaluation framework was used to assess how “wise” the city’s roads have become. The Inner Ring Road scored well for environmental and human-centered features, while the Middle Ring Road excelled in resilience and intelligent controls. But the study also uncovered gaps—like inefficient materials and a lack of cultural integration in some redevelopment areas. These findings help planners target upgrades where they’re most needed.

Chongqing, with its mountainous terrain and complex road system, has taken a different path.

The city has invested in flexible, adaptive transport strategies, such as intelligent scheduling, tunnel monitoring systems, and smart parking. By improving rail services and prioritizing buses, Chongqing has enhanced both mobility and safety in a challenging environment.

What these examples show is that wise transport must be locally tailored. No two cities are the same, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. But data-driven evaluation, careful planning, and a strong focus on public benefit are common success factors.

Better mobility, better lives

Wise transport only works if people feel the difference. That’s why citizen-focused indicators such as comfort, convenience, and access to information are built into evaluation systems. The goal is to make smart mobility tangible, not abstract.

Shanghai and Chongqing both show that it’s possible to turn technological potential into real-world improvements. Safer roads, more reliable commutes, and cleaner air are benefits people can see and feel. As the system improves, so does public satisfaction. That, in turn, builds momentum for further investment and innovation.

Looking ahead

Transport is the lifeblood of cities. As China’s urban development shifts from rapid growth to quality improvement, transport systems must also evolve, changing from hardware-focused expansion to people-first innovation.

Wise transport represents a major step in that direction. It blends technology with governance, infrastructure with ethics, and innovation with inclusion. It also brings together universities, businesses, and policymakers to solve tough challenges and build shared solutions.

With companies like Huawei contributing expertise in 5G, AI, and cloud computing, and universities advancing theoretical models, China is positioning itself as a leader in the next generation of urban mobility. Through cross-sector collaboration, smart city strategies, and a deep commitment to sustainability and equity, the country is helping to shape a future where transport not only moves people, but empowers them.

As cities around the world look for ways to modernize, reduce emissions, and improve quality of life, wise transport offers a practical, scalable, and visionary path forward.

Acknowledgements: Professor Ling Jianming, Researcher Li Xinghua, Professor Ma Wanjing, Associate Researcher Shen Yi, Associate Professor Qiao Yafei, PhD candidate Dou Shiqi, and Master's candidate Guo Muze, all from Tongji University.

The author is the Honorary Chair Professor at Tongji University, the Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the counselor of Shanghai Municipal Government, and a member of the expert committee of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China.