According to a World Economic Forum (WEF) white paper, a SIMSystem is a “system of systems” that connects different modes of transport – city buses, ride-sharing vehicles, delivery trucks, autonomous pods and more – with digital technologies such as dynamic pricing or shared data exchanges to improve overall efficiency and enable more optimized and accessible mobility for people and goods across geographic boundaries.

At the core of a SIMSystem is a digital platform that covers existing physical assets to provide a holistic, real-time picture of mobility supply and demand as well as the conditions of the overall system. By removing the friction between the different modes of transport and the infrastructure that supports them (e.g. roads, bike lines, rail networks), a SIMSystem can enable mobility that is faster, cheaper, safer, cleaner and more efficient than today. 

WEF and Deloitte Consulting LLP are now teaming up to develop a SIMSystem. More specifically, they are looking to collaborate with two government entities representing cities, states, regions or countries – one from an urban area and another from a rural area – to pilot and demonstrate the impact that a SIMSystem can have. The two partners have also developed a list of ten principles to help guide government and private sector leaders in overcoming the complex obstacles that developing such a system will entail.