Szeged & Timisoara Data Space

STiDS

Basic Pilot Info:

Involved Cities:  
Szeged (Hungary)
Timisoara (Romania)

Duration: 01 March 2025 – 30 August 2026

Domains: 

  • Sustainable mobility planning

  • Zero pollution

Motivation:

Szeged and Timisoara face growing urban challenges in mobility and air quality.

  • The cities share a strong historical and regional connection, making them ideal partners for a cross-border smart city initiative.

  • Existing data platforms in both cities (OVAK in Szeged & data.primariatm.ro in Timisoara) are not fully integrated, interoperability functions and standards are missing.

  • Lack of real-time cross-border data exchange to optimize mobility and environmental strategies.

Use Case Description:

Smart Urban Mobility Optimization
Challenge: 

  • Traffic congestion in Szeged’s city center and university zones. 

  • Inefficient public transport due to lack of real-time traffic data.

  • Timisoara’s growing demand for better multimodal mobility solutions.

Solution:

  • Using data from IoT sensors to support evidence-based decisions for urban mobility planning.

  • Exploring AI-supported traffic analysis to assess potential improvements in public transport and congestion management.

  • Cross-border data sharing: Enhancing route planning for commuters traveling between the two cities.

Air Quality Monitoring & Response System
Challenge

  • Industrial emissions and high traffic volumes impact air quality in Timisoara.

  • Lack of real-time monitoring, proper sensor coverage and forecasting to inform policy decisions.

  • Public awareness of pollution levels are limited.

Solution

  • IoT-based pollution sensors: Continuous air quality data collection.

  • ML/AI-driven forecasting models: Predicting pollution trends and proposing mitigation strategies.

  • Public dashboards & alerts: Citizens receive real-time pollution warnings and recommendations in pilot locations

Federated Data Space for Smart City Integration
Challenge

  • Isolated data systems between Szeged & Timisoara limit innovation.

  • Lack of interoperability in existing city data platforms.

  • City decision-making relies on static data, reducing responsiveness.

Solution

  • Federated urban data space: A common platform integrating mobility, environment, and city data.

  • Real-time analytics: Supporting city planning and emergency responses.

  • Interoperability with EU smart city frameworks: Ensuring long-term sustainability

Added Value:

Social Impact

-Improved Quality of Life – Reduced traffic congestion, better air quality, and improved public transport services.

-Citizen Engagement – Open data portals and real-time environmental information empower citizens.

-Cross-Border Collaboration – Strengthening connections between Szeged and Timisoara.

Economic Impact

-More Efficient City Services – Cost savings from optimized transport and resource allocation.

- Boosting Local Innovation – Supporting local businesses and startups through smart city infrastructure.

-Attracting EU & Private Investments – Positioning both cities as regional leaders in smart urban development.

Technical Impact

-Federated Data Space – Enabling secure and interoperable data exchange.

-ML/AI-Powered Insights – Enhancing urban planning with real-time analytics.

-Scalable & Replicable Model – Creating a blueprint for other European cities to adopt.