At France–Vietnam Forward 2026, an expert from FPT Corporation emphasized that developing smart transportation systems requires more than infrastructure investment. It also demands integrated data management throughout planning, design, and operations, alongside seamless connections between different modes of transport. Vietnam needs to establish open technology architectures, ensure system security, and create opportunities for domestic enterprises to participate more deeply in transportation projects.
France–Vietnam Forward 2026 brought together more than 600 delegates representing diplomatic agencies, businesses, technology organizations, investors, universities, and research institutes. The event was jointly organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV), La French Tech Vietnam, and French partners, featuring discussions on technology applications in transportation, industry, construction, healthcare, and finance.
During the Tech in Transportation panel discussion, Mr. Phan Thanh Son, Director of Railway Strategy at FPT Railway Mobility Technology (FPT RMT), FPT Corporation, delivered a presentation on smart transportation and urban development. He also highlighted opportunities for collaboration between Vietnamese technology enterprises and international partners.
Speakers at the Tech in Transportation panel discussion.Integrated Data Management from Transportation Planning to Operations
According to Mr. Phan Thanh Son, modern transportation development requires consistent data management throughout the design, construction, and operational phases, rather than fragmented data management across different organizations and project stages.
“We need a shared data platform that connects everything,” Mr. Son emphasized.
The FPT representative noted that technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Digital Twins can support data management throughout the entire project lifecycle.
By integrating information from multiple sources, these technologies provide authorities and operators with a stronger foundation for evaluating investment efficiency, coordinating transportation hubs, and planning maintenance activities.
In particular, data and simulation technologies can help assess planning alternatives before physical implementation.
According to Mr. Son, inaccurate decisions made during the planning stage can have lasting consequences, potentially affecting urban development for the next 100 years.
Therefore, transportation projects should incorporate technology from the earliest planning and design stages to identify potential shortcomings, evaluate development scenarios, and minimize long-term risks.
Beyond data management, Mr. Son emphasized that smart transportation must first address the practical challenges facing Vietnamese cities, including traffic congestion, limitations in public transportation, noise, and environmental pollution.
To achieve this, cities need to shift from developing individual roads and transportation modes in isolation toward planning integrated transportation networks that enable connectivity and coordinated operations.
For urban rail systems, investment efficiency depends not only on the passenger capacity of individual metro lines but also on station accessibility and connections with other transportation options.
If passengers encounter difficulties transferring between metro services, buses, private vehicles, or ride-sharing services, the benefits of urban rail investment will be limited.
“Therefore, multimodal transportation networks must be considered from the initial planning stage, rather than addressed separately after infrastructure construction is completed,” Mr. Son emphasized.
This is also a key requirement of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), in which transportation systems must be planned in coordination with urban spaces, residential areas, commercial developments, and services.
Mr. Phan Thanh Son, Director of Railway Strategy at FPT Railway Mobility Technology (FPT RMT), FPT Corporation, shares insights at the event.The FPT representative also discussed the potential of citizen-generated data to support transportation management.
Through mobile applications, residents could submit photos or videos reporting incidents on city streets, enabling relevant authorities to receive information and respond accordingly.
Mr. Son described citizens as “social sensors for government authorities,” helping expand the information available for urban management.
According to the FPT expert, developing interconnected transportation systems requires projects to adopt open architectures, apply appropriate technical standards, and incorporate security requirements from the design stage.
Vietnam can draw on European experience and technical standards while adapting them to local implementation conditions.
Vietnamese Enterprises Have Opportunities to Play a Greater Role in the Transportation Technology Ecosystem
Beyond applying technology to transportation planning and operations, Mr. Phan Thanh Son noted that infrastructure modernization is creating opportunities for Vietnamese technology enterprises and startups to participate more deeply in transportation projects.
According to the FPT representative, domestic enterprises can contribute across multiple stages, from design and construction site management to BIM applications, facility management, operations, and maintenance.
Early involvement not only creates opportunities to develop products and services but also enables businesses to gain experience, strengthen implementation capabilities, and gradually develop solutions tailored to domestic needs.
In his presentation, Mr. Son proposed developing a transportation technology ecosystem based on the Glocal model, combining local capabilities with global knowledge, technology, and experience.
This approach encourages participation from government agencies, technology enterprises, consulting and design firms, operators, investors, universities, research institutes, and international partners.
Through collaboration, stakeholders can share expertise, resources, and technology solutions while enabling Vietnamese enterprises to develop the capabilities needed to participate in higher-value activities within transportation projects.
As outlined at France–Vietnam Forward 2026, FPT aims to strengthen connections among technology enterprises, research organizations, and domestic and international partners, contributing to the development of Vietnam's transportation technology ecosystem.
The combination of infrastructure investment, integrated data management, technology adoption, and domestic enterprise capability development is expected to help Vietnam improve transportation system efficiency.
These efforts will also establish a foundation for Vietnam to gradually master the technological solutions needed to develop smart and sustainable cities.