a novel web app empowering citizens to play a more direct role in improving local (cycling) infrastructure. - Upload an experience - Rate AI-generated suggestions (based on international best practices) - Get inspired - Share with municipality & others
Dearest ProductHunt Community! 🚀
Today, I'm excited to introduce SmoothRide, a web application designed to bridge the gap between citizens and urban planners. This project is the culmination of my journey that began with getting absorbed in YouTube channels like NotJustBikes, Shifter, and Adam Something, which opened my eyes to the profound societal impact of livable cities and cycling infrastructure.
My main goal with SmoothRide is to empower each of you to take an active part in enhancing your city's (cycling) infrastructure. The platform is crafted to be a beacon for civic engagement, allowing you to voice your experiences, rate AI-generated suggestions based on international best practices, and share your ideas with your local municipalities and communities.
SmoothRide originated in the scope of my master's project, which delved into the question of how emerging technologies like object detection and Large Language Models (LLMs) could be leveraged to improve citizen participation and inspire decision-makers around the world to learn from global best practices.
The project is still in its early stages, and I am eager to gather as much feedback as possible. So please, try it out, let me know what you like, what you think could be improved, or if there are any additional features you'd like to see!
Looking forward to hearing from all of you. Together, we can make our cities safer, more livable, and cycle-friendly! 🚲🏙️
#SmoothRide #CitizenEmpowerment #UrbanPlanning
Firstly, hats off to you, Phil! This is a monumental step in making urban planning more participatory and inclusive. Having been born and raised in Bulgaria, where cycling infrastructure is still in its infancy, and now living in the Netherlands, a cyclist's paradise, I've experienced the spectrum of cycling conditions. The contrast is stark and it's time for change.
I truly believe that SmoothRide can bring about this much-needed change, providing an avenue for citizens worldwide to express their needs and contribute to the evolution of their cities. As a UX designer, I admire the thoughtful design of the application, which makes the entire process of participation and collaboration straightforward and enjoyable.
However, it would be interesting to see some features that encourage consistent engagement, such as a reward system for frequent contributors or a community board where users can discuss and build on each other's ideas. Additionally, a feature that tracks the progress of submitted suggestions could also add more transparency and trust in the process.
This platform is a shining example of how technology can be harnessed to foster active citizenship and enact meaningful societal transformations. I am eager to contribute to this initiative and look forward to seeing the improvements that our collective effort can bring to cities around the globe. Congratulations on the launch, and let's ride towards a better future together! 🚲"
As a daily user of digital services, I'm constantly amazed at how well-optimized they are for a seamless User Experience. Isn't it fascinating that we can apply the same logic to our living spaces, our cities? SmoothRide does exactly that, treating cities like User Interfaces and allowing us, the users, to provide feedback and contribute to the ideation process.
What strikes me is how SmoothRide takes citizen participation to the next level, combining it with AI technology like GPT to facilitate idea generation. This is beyond merely providing feedback - it's about co-creating the urban landscape. The tool encourages us, the citizens, to ideate and connect dots that may go unnoticed even by experienced urban planners.
Although SmoothRide is in its infancy, I think the potential societal impact could be immense. I'm excited to see how this will evolve, and I have a couple of suggestions. First, integrating this tool with local city council platforms could streamline the process of implementing citizens' ideas. Second, providing educational resources on urban planning within the app could help users make more informed suggestions.
The unique blend of UX, citizen participation, and AI technology somehow makes me a bit more optimistic about the future of our cities 🎉
Best wishes from Sweden (where despite being a wealthy country, cycling infrastructure is also still developing)
It's really interesting in a sense that all the services we use nowadays are well-optimized for a good User Experience. But what about the places we live in? This tool looks at cities like User Interfaces and lets its users / citizens give feedback AND ideate in the next step. I think this is what cities need more: Ideation (just like in UX) not only driven by its designers but also by its users AND (in this case) an AI like GPT that sources information from different places and connects dots the average users or even Urban Planners can't.
Of course, it is still early stage but it is one of those tools where I could really see a societal impact.
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