UA-Born Traffic App Powered by Stakeholder Ecosystem

March 19, 2015 | Tech Launch Arizona

Tucson, Ariz. – An innovative app that incentivizes commuters to change their driving habits for improved regional traffic has officially hit the streets of Tucson.

Last year, the University of Arizona received a patent for the app created by Civil Engineering associate professor Dr. Yi-Chang Chiu. Chiu founded a startup company, Metropia, Inc., and in November 2014, licensed the patent from the UA to commercialize the technology.

Metropia also worked with the Arizona Center for Innovation (AzCI) to advance their business model, and has successfully launched their company with the help from many other supporters within Tucson’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

AzCI is an incubator associated with Tech Parks Arizona, which is part of Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), the office of the UA dedicating to commercializing the inventions born of research.

The company has also released the app in Austin, Texas, and is in discussions to add more cities to its portfolio.

“Finally launching the app to the Tucson community, who has watched our app grow firsthand from that very first Startup Tucson weekend, is a particularly proud moment for myself and my team,” says Dr. Chiu. “Tucson and the University of Arizona have provided pivotal support - it's been an excellent experience.”

In a proactive effort to alleviate congestion in the Tucson metropolitan area and reduce impacts on air quality in the region, Metropia Inc. is partnering with Pima Association of Governments (PAG), the region’s metropolitan planning organization.

Research gathered by Metropia will benefit PAG’s travel reduction program to promote ridesharing. Sun Rideshare, for example, is a regional travel assistance program at PAG. Metropia also intends to collect travel time and speeds for PAG’s Travel Demand Model, which is used for planning future road projects, forecasting pollution levels and ensuring compliance with air quality regulations.

“Metropia is a prime example of a UA-derived company partnering with the community,” he David Allen, Ph.D., vice president of Tech Launch Arizona. “The team has put in the hard work, shown great focus and cooperation, and brought all the right people into the process from both inside and outside the University to ensure success.”

Metropia’s unique approach empowers individual drivers to make informed decisions that work for their schedules and incentivizes them to save time and earn rewards while reducing the strain on Tucson's roads. Rewards come in the form of points, which can be redeemed at local partnering business such as Fed by Threads, RBar, and Ear Effects. Drivers can also choose to exchange points for gift cards at the likes of Target, Amazon, and Starbucks. Points can even be exchanged for the planting of trees.

Most navigation apps start working when the user gets into their car, but by then it's often too late. By planning ahead with Metropia, users get a clear picture as to what their upcoming commute will look like, as well as updated alerts when accidents and lane closures require an earlier departure or a detour. Pre-scheduling a trip gives users the foresight to plan their drive and the flexibility to make adjustments when needed.

The free Metropia app is available for IOS devices at the Apple App Store as well as for Android devices at Google Play.

http://techlaunch.arizona.edu/article/ua-born-traffic-app-powered-stakeholder-ecosystem