Barcelona Selects Buspas and Hayden AI to Power the Future of Urban Mobility

Barcelona has taken a bold step toward modernizing its public transit system. The city selected Buspas and Hayden AI as winners of its Smart Mobility Challenge—an initiative led by the Mobility Area, BIT Habitat Foundation, TMB, and Fira de Barcelona. The goal: to test advanced mobility technologies in real urban environments.

Each company will receive €100,000 in funding. Their projects address two core challenges—improving the passenger experience at bus stops and increasing commercial bus speed through smarter enforcement.

Buspas Turns Bus Stops into Real-Time Data Hubs

Buspas, a Canadian smart mobility company, reimagines the traditional bus stop. Instead of acting as passive waiting areas, these stops become interactive data hubs. They display real-time service updates and collect operational data to support transit agencies.

The system gathers live data, including arrival times, traffic flow, and passenger volume. Operators can then use this information to adjust routes, improve scheduling, and respond to issues in real time. The interface is multilingual, accessible, and user-friendly.

Furthermore, the smart stops enhance network visibility. Buspas connects street-level data to backend systems, transforming the bus stop into a key asset within a city’s mobility ecosystem.

The pilot will roll out over 16 months and includes design, prototyping, and deployment. With a budget of €97,200, Buspas offers a scalable and cost-effective upgrade path for forward-thinking transit agencies.

Buspas and Hayden AI: Why the Combination Works

Hayden AI deploys enforcement from inside the bus, using AI-powered cameras and sensors to identify vehicles that block bus lanes or stops. While effective, this system sometimes misses fast-moving violations or cases where buses must swerve into mixed traffic.

Buspas closes that gap. Its stationary, always-on smart stops monitor traffic at high-conflict zones. They detect recurring violations and bottlenecks that mobile systems may overlook. When integrated into Safer Smart Zones, these AI-equipped hubs deliver persistent insights to support enforcement decisions.

As a result, cities gain visibility both on the move and at the curb. This hybrid approach—fixed sensors and in-vehicle AI—helps transit agencies improve response times and deliver more reliable service.

Ultimately, Buspas enhances Hayden AI’s effectiveness by anchoring the data ecosystem to the physical environment. This makes enforcement more precise, continuous, and proactive.

Hayden AI: Enforcing Rules from Inside the Bus

Hayden AI, based in North America, brings advanced enforcement capabilities directly into the transit fleet. Its platform uses onboard cameras, edge computing, and 5G connectivity to detect vehicles that obstruct bus lanes and stops.

This mobile solution continuously monitors traffic and alerts operators when delays occur due to unauthorized parking or lane misuse. By staying inside the vehicle, the system avoids exposure to vandalism or harsh weather.

In addition, Hayden AI meets all GDPR compliance standards. It captures only the data necessary to identify violations and analyze their impact on service quality.

The six-month pilot will measure how effectively the system increases bus speed and reduces disruptions along targeted routes.

Barcelona’s Call for Smarter Mobility

The Smart Mobility Challenge is part of Barcelona Innova LAB Mobility, a program designed to accelerate urban innovation and support economic diversification. It promotes smart and sustainable solutions for public transportation.

Barcelona already runs one of Europe’s most advanced transit networks. With over 700,000 daily validations and a fleet that includes electric, hydrogen, and natural gas buses, the city has made strong progress toward cleaner mobility.

However, challenges remain. Traffic congestion, limited curbside intelligence, and enforcement blind spots often disrupt service. Buspas and Hayden AI tackle these issues with affordable, scalable technology designed for real-world use.

Real-World Testing Begins

The competition attracted 25 proposals from companies across North America, Europe, and Asia. After rigorous review, Barcelona selected Buspas and Hayden AI to launch their pilots in high-traffic corridors across the city.

Buspas will begin by installing a limited number of smart bus stops. These units will display live arrival data, track passenger patterns, and assess how curbside visibility improves service.

Meanwhile, Hayden AI will equip a pilot fleet with its in-vehicle enforcement system. These buses will collect real-time data on violations, travel delays, and enforcement impact. The combined insights will guide future deployments and policy decisions.

A Smarter Future Starts Now

This pilot is not just about hardware—it’s about system-wide intelligence. Hayden AI empowers buses to monitor and enforce in real time. Buspas adds context, giving agencies critical insight into how street-level conditions impact performance.

Together, they offer cities a powerful blueprint for modern transit. By using AI both inside the vehicle and at the stop, Barcelona creates a responsive, data-rich environment that puts rider needs first.

Moreover, this dual-layered approach gives transit agencies confidence to scale. They no longer need to choose between fixed or mobile systems—they can implement both, harmonized through intelligent design.

Buspas and Hayden AI Showcase Innovation at Tomorrow.Mobility

Both companies will present their solutions this November at Tomorrow.Mobility, part of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. This global platform brings together mobility leaders, technologists, and government officials to explore the future of infrastructure.

The event will showcase how the Buspas and Hayden AI model can adapt to cities of all sizes. From dense urban centers to suburban networks, this partnership offers scalable, proven value.

For Barcelona, it’s a chance to lead by example. For other cities, it’s a roadmap to build smarter, more connected public transportation.

Conclusion: AI at the Curb and on the Move

Barcelona’s pilot with Buspas and Hayden AI marks a turning point in how cities approach smart mobility. By linking AI inside the bus with AI at the stop, the city builds a unified, responsive, and rider-focused transit system.

This strategy doesn’t require overhauling infrastructure. Instead, it leverages compact, interoperable technology that generates actionable insights. Transit becomes not just faster, but smarter—driven by real-time data and real-world results.

As other cities look to reduce emissions, improve service, and make transit more equitable, Barcelona’s approach offers a clear and achievable path forward.

With this project, the city doesn’t just upgrade its transit system—it sets the standard for what’s possible in the next generation of urban mobility.