Stephen McSpadden, a Senior Product Manager at Rambus, recently sat down with Contactless Intelligence to discuss the future of smart ticketing. According to McSpadden, transit Host Card Emulation (HCE) is now a reality, with real world trials ramping up in the UK and around the world.
“In the UK alone, Transport for the North have a trial in rail around Leeds and SPT in Glasgow will be launching their trial using Rambus’ HCE Ticketing service in a few months,” he told the publication.
“None of this could happen without the support of the specification body ITSO who are supporting and encouraging these developments while holding us suppliers to account.”
In addition, says McSpadden, operators are realizing that there are a number of ways to leverage current infrastructure to deliver the engaging mobile-based solutions their customers expect.
“There are lower cost, off-the-shelf technology platforms [operators] can use to provide valuable services and information to their staff and the travelling public,” he stated.
In a broader sense, says McSpadden, there is an ever increasing convergence of ticketing, payments and even ID.
“These are not separate things any more. They can all be serviced by [multiple] mobile and non-mobile based solutions,” he explained. “Never has there been more happening all at once – and in truth – it’s not going to slow down any time soon. I honestly think we’re only getting started, and that’s actually both exciting and exhausting to even just think about.”
To be sure, says McSpadden, the industry now has more cost-effective options than ever before.
“Not got a validation infrastructure or entering a scheduled upgrade cycle? Excellent – you’ve got some great new, lower-cost options and you can build in protection for the future by installing hardware that will accept everything from barcode, contactless EMV, ITSO or other closed loop smart card solutions – which themselves might in the form of cards, mobile phones, watches, rings, watch straps or other wearables,” he continued. “And the better news is that a lot of these new smart media are just as happy working with an existing smart card-based validation infrastructure. And let’s not forget visually verifiable. That too will have a place and role.”
Interested in learning more about smart ticketing? You can check out our product page here and download our eBook on the subject below.
