OptiPEx — Optimizing Passenger Experience in Public Transport
What if public transport could truly serve everyone — not just the majority? Imagine a tram that knows when a wheelchair user boards, a shuttle that “senses” passenger distress and helps prevent incidents before they escalate, or a simple app that makes public transit easier for tourists navigating an unfamiliar city.
This is the vision behind OptiPEx, a groundbreaking EU-funded research project aiming to transform the passenger experience across Europe. Bringing together 11 organizations — including academic and industry partners across Europe — the project is on a mission to transform public transport into a seamless, safe and inclusive experience for everyone.
A European-Wide Effort Toward Smarter and Safer Travel
Spanning seven countries and three years, OptiPEx is more than a research initiative — it’s a real-world effort to test, validate, and deploy future-ready solutions in three living labs: two trams and a shuttle bus in Finland, Germany, and Austria. With the industry’s shift towards autonomous transport in mind, these living labs serve as proving grounds for building solutions on advanced vehicle technologies.
Breaking Barriers with AI & Innovation
At Teleste, our focus within the project is clear: harness state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, neural networks, and AI for video and audio analytics solutions empowered to make public transport smarter and safer than ever.
Just imagine:
- Smart detection systems that recognize when a passenger with accessibility needs enters the vehicle—enabling staff to offer assistance or ensure that the passenger has ample time to settle in.
- Real-time behavioral analytics that can identify signs of distress, tension, or conflict —alerting operators to act proactively.
- Passenger-centric mobile apps that bridge the gap between passengers and transport staff, supporting smoother journeys and enhancing the feeling of safety.
These innovations build on the experiences gained in previous projects, such as HIPE, a Business Finland-funded co-innovation project, where we developed solutions for emotion-aware behavioral analytics, detecting and helping understand emotional atmosphere on-board.
From Surveys to Solutions: The Journey Continues
Enhancing service quality and increasing passenger satisfaction are key to accelerating the adoption of automated public transport and advancing the sustainability of mobility services.
At the heart of OptiPEx is a deep understanding of the real needs of both passengers and transport operators. During the project’s first year, we have:
- Surveyed passenger needs — digging deep into what makes travel easier (or harder) for our target groups.
- Crafted cutting-edge service concepts — using survey data as the foundation.
- Laid the groundwork for living-lab demonstrations — soon to be tested in real trams and shuttle buses!
Now, the next phase begins. Over the coming three years, we will bring these concepts into real-world use — with real passengers, in real environments, solving real challenges.
At Teleste, we are proud to contribute to a project that goes beyond vision — it redefines and builds the future of public transport.
Curious to learn more about OptiPEx? Click to the project website.
This blog post was published on the OptiPEX website on July 10, 2025.
Timo Eskola
Timo Eskola
I am Concept Design Engineer at Teleste’s Railway Solutions. My role involves the continuous study and experiment with new tools and technologies. See my LinkedIn.
