21st November 2024

Tech, Transport, and Revolutionising road safety in Europe: Introducing STEP

Vodafone’s ability to leverage technology to address some of society’s most pressing problems is one of our greatest strengths. Now, we’re excited to begin introducing our STEP (Safer Transport for Europe Platform) initiative to the world as we aim to improve traffic safety across Europe, enhance sustainability, and create low-emission zones on the roads.

We’ve created an open ecosystem all traffic participants (pedestrians, cyclists, road operators, car manufacturers, software companies etc.) to up-to-date roads and traffic data, from anywhere. Unlike traditional mobility solutions that rely on user input for traffic events, STEP automatically gathers information from reliable sources such as road operators, cameras, and vehicle data from car manufacturers. The goal is to ensure a more accurate, comprehensive understanding of traffic conditions, with information accessible from wherever you are, so that European roads can be both safer for all and more focused on sustainability.

Using V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology through a 5G connection, it’s rapidly evolving into a robust platform. As we continue engaging with developer communities, we’re going to be adding even more capabilities on top of those that already exist.  

Being part of STEP has been highly rewarding for the talented people making it happen. Let’s hear from some of them.

Alina Cezar
Release Train Engineer (RTE)

I’ve had the privilege of leading the delivery of STEP from inception, which meant implementing processes, establishing a governance model, growing teams, and supporting the creation of an operating model.

“Green field” projects come with many unknowns, especially when leveraging new technologies. However, while we faced challenges integrating diverse expertise and ensuring cohesive collaboration, overall, we created synergies and benefited from Vodafone’s company-wide experience in platform development. In fact, the most interesting part of the project for me has been witnessing the collaboration among experts from various parts of the organisation. “We have Product Managers, Solution Architects, Cloud Platform Engineers, Backend and Frontend developers, and Testing engineers, all working towards safer transport across Europe.”

It’s been great to be recognised within the industry for STEP. When we attended DevTalks, we were able to highlight Tech_VOIS Romania’s leadership in the tech field, and we showcased STEP and invited outside specialists to contribute. We also won the Glotel Award for “IoT Initiative of the Year”, and were finalists in "The Future Award" category at the World Communication Awards. Vodafone really embraces cutting-edge tech and I’m excited about how we’re going to continue to contribute to transformation, in all areas, in the future. 

George Stoian
Cloud Platforms Team Lead

Three years ago, I was brought onto STEP, playing a key role in helping to build the first environments and laying the foundation for the project's future development. Since then, I’ve worked closely with the development team to ensure seamless integration and continuous improvement. It’s been rewarding, especially as one of the first cloud-native projects at Vodafone. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the latest in tech, such as cloud infrastructure, microservices, and container orchestration. 

The most interesting part has been navigating the complexities of integrating these technologies to build scalable and resilient systems. For example, ultra-low latency capabilities are a must-have for real time traffic notifications. We’ve partnered with AWS to launch Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC) services delivered with AWS Wavelength, which brings AWS compute and storage services to the edge of Vodafone’s network. It means the platform can leverage the ultra-low latency and high-bandwidth capabilities of Vodafone's network and deliver real-time traffic notifications with minimal delay.

Currently we’re working on several new elements, including the connectivity for monitoring drones that transport medications in Ireland. Remote vehicle control and cooperative platooning use cases have also been successfully tested. 

Our main goal in DevOps is to build a zero-touch operations solution with multi-cloud support - we want the infrastructure creation and application deployment performed with a single push of a button regardless of the cloud provider, so the platform is adaptable to wide-ranging needs and requirements. It’s really exciting for me to be right at the forefront of this kind of pioneering project and contribute to the advancement of these emerging technologies! 

Livia Ilisanu
Program Support Analyst

I was very excited when I was assigned to STEP, to support the creation of something that will better the world as we know it. As my role title suggests, I support at program level, with most of my activities administrative and agile related. I sometimes like to think of myself as the RTE's right hand person or the link between the ART and its administrative trail. I make sure everything to do with STEP is documented, raise and monitor purchase orders so that everyone on the teams can get their necessary licences, follow up on issues, help organise things, create objectives in Jira and so on. 

What I’ve personally found most exciting have been the app demos. Knowing that I am part of such a diverse and interesting ART and seeing the live product of everyone's work has been very rewarding. At this stage, I feel like the sky's the limit. I’m excited to see STEP grow and get more recognition both within and outside of Vodafone. It’s going to be used as a component in multiple apps, created by anyone interested. We’ve also launched the first open source version of STEP that is accessible to the public, called InstantX, which could help people, especially students, with app development. 

I am curious to see what else I can end up doing for the project in the future - I’d love to take on a role that’s more directly in the action! 

Marius Budu
Cloud Platforms Engineer

I have been fortunate to witness the growth of STEP firsthand. I’ve been responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the cloud infrastructure that supports the platform, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure reliability, scalability, and security. We’ve been integrating various technologies and systems to create a seamless and efficient platform. 

From designing and implementing scalable microservices to managing data from IoT devices, every aspect of the project has offered unique and exciting challenges. I’ve been pushed to expand my skills and knowledge in cloud-native applications and infrastructure automation. The continuous improvement and optimisation has been fascinating: analysing performance metrics, identifying bottlenecks, implementing solutions to enhance user experience. 

It’s all been highly enriching and stimulating. We’re working towards a common goal of making European roads safer for everyone, which has given me a real sense of purpose. I feel that I’m contributing to a meaningful cause, as well as getting the opportunity to undergo valuable technical and professional growth. The prospect of exploring new technologies and methodologies to further enhance the platform is truly exciting and I am excited to see how it continues to evolve and make a positive impact on road safety in Europe. It’s been a remarkable experience. 

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