Siemens Mobility and fast-growing French AI-powered turnkey technology provider Padam, which operates on-demand transport (microtransit) services, are launching a partnership to enhance demand responsive transportation options and improve passenger experience.
Siemens has made a significant investment in Padam, with both parties agreeing to maintain confidentiality regarding financial details of the deal. The investment will enhance Siemens Mobility’s intelligent infrastructure portfolio, which is focused on intermodal transportation, offering public transportation operators a first/last-mile transportation solution that optimizes vehicle usage at lower costs. Offering cities worldwide an advanced management system, the Padam Live white-label software platform is rebranded by public transportation operators to integrate microtransit services.
Founded in 2014, Paris-based Padam operates as a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) organization, which offers cities the opportunity to adapt the software to their needs. Currently, cities in France and the UK, such as Orleans and Bristol, are actively using Padam’s systems. With the new setup, Siemens and Padam will be better positioned to be the first-choice partner for demand-responsive public transportation operators.
Siemens Mobility’s vision is to provide easy and seamless use of various forms of public and private transport from a single source: bus, train, carsharing and other modes, according to the needs of the passengers and the city’s transport landscape.
The investment in Padam is the latest example of its commitment to this vision, which was preceded by funding for HaCon and Bytemark, leaders in intermodal transportation solutions.
Siemens’s approach of providing Mobility as a Service (MaaS) through software that increases accessibility to public transport will be enhanced by Padam’s ability to integrate microtransit, enhancing the offerings that fill the first/last-mile gap.
“The investment in Padam represents our commitment to offering digital solutions that increase access to transportation information and a better passenger experience,” stated Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility.
“Through intelligent traffic solutions, ticketing and timetable integration with Padam’s software, we will be able to offer expanded first/last-mile transportation options. Together, we will enable public transport operators to offer passengers a holistic and convenient commute from door-to-door.”
Padam’s CEO, Gregoire Bonnat, commented, “With the investment of Siemens Mobility, along with investment from Setec Innovation, we have secured sufficient financing to further develop our solutions and keep our leading position in the booming demand responsive transportation market.
“Our comprehensive and flexible technology supports operators and authorities to develop microtransit services in many different contexts, reflecting population, cost of operation, time constraints, congestion levels and efficiency of routes.
“Our software solutions also prepare for autonomous traffic in the future by filling the first/last-mile gap. The solutions offered by Siemens Mobility will complement our offerings, integrating access to public mass transit information.”
