Less congestion, better capacity utilisation and new business models: the Federal Council aims to reorganise transport in Switzerland through the Mobility Data Infrastructure (MODI). But what does the new law actually mean for businesses, public authorities and digital platforms – and what legal issues does it raise?
In its message of 14 May 2025, the Federal Council presents the draft of a new Federal Act on Mobility Data Infrastructure (MODIG). The aim is to establish a national data infrastructure (MODI) that facilitates the exchange and interconnection of mobility data between public and private stakeholders. The approach is ambitious: in future, mobility data is to be regarded as an integral part of the transport infrastructure – comparable to roads, railways or electricity grids.
The legislative initiative comes against a backdrop of growing mobility needs, limited expansion capacity and increasing digitalisation. According to forecasts, freight transport is set to increase by around 31% and passenger transport by 11% by 2050. The efficient use of existing infrastructure will therefore become a key challenge.
MODIG’s objective: efficiency through data networking
MODIG pursues several strategic objectives aimed at making Switzerland’s mobility system more efficient and sustainable. The focus is on optimising transport infrastructure through improved planning, more efficient operation and higher utilisation of existing capacity. At the same time, multimodal mobility is to be strengthened by better integrating and enabling the combination of different transport services. In concrete terms, this means, for example, that travellers will in future be able to plan seamless travel chains more easily by linking information on public transport, sharing services, car parks or charging stations in real time. For instance, it will be possible to decide before setting off whether a journey can be covered more efficiently using a combination of train, car-sharing and an e-charging station.
Another focus is on promoting innovation and developing new digital business models that can be built on a reliable and standardised data foundation. MODI deliberately does not function as an end-user platform or a standalone app, but rather as a technical ‘business-to-business’ infrastructure on which companies can develop new applications and services. This enables mobility platforms, for instance, to create personalised offers, or logistics companies to optimise their route planning based on networked real-time data.
Furthermore, the aim is to improve the data foundation for public authorities and emergency services so that they can make more informed decisions and coordinate operations more efficiently. For example, up-to-date information on traffic disruptions, roadworks or access restrictions can help emergency vehicles reach their destination more quickly and safely. Traffic management by public authorities can also be significantly improved through better-connected data.
Last but not least, the establishment of a state-supported infrastructure is intended to reduce dependence on global platform providers. Whilst private providers often orient their data infrastructures commercially and restrict access, MODI creates a neutral, non-discriminatory and trustworthy data space. This approach is intended to ensure that all stakeholders – regardless of their size or market power – can access and use relevant mobility data on an equal footing.
At its core, the focus is less on generating new data and more on standardising it, linking it and making it more accessible. MODI is deliberately not designed as a centralised database, but as a decentralised infrastructure in which the data generally remains with the respective owners and is only linked and exchanged when necessary. This not only increases technical efficiency but also takes account of data protection and data security requirements.
Legal basis and regulatory approach
- Voluntary participation rather than compulsion
A key feature of the draft bill is the principle of voluntary participation: there is no general obligation to supply data. Instead, the legislator relies on incentive mechanisms and trust. Obligations may arise solely from specific statutory provisions (e.g. in the context of licences or subsidies).
- State infrastructure as an ‘enabler’
MODI is conceived as a public service infrastructure in which the state assumes a traditional enabling role without acting as a market player itself. The aim of this approach is to address structural shortcomings in the existing mobility data exchange. These include, in particular, the lack of uniform technical standards and insufficient interoperability between the systems of different stakeholders. Added to this is a lack of trust between the parties involved, which has so far hampered data exchange, as well as a lack of economic incentives for private providers to independently provide the necessary basic infrastructure.
- Governance and organisation
Responsibility for setting up and operating the system lies with the new Mobility Data Competence Centre (KOMODA) to be established within the federal administration. In addition, a central geodata database called ‘Verkehrsnetz CH’ will be created, whilst ‘NADIM’ will provide the technical means for data exchange.
- Data protection and data security
The Act contains clear principles for the protection of sensitive data:
- Distinction between open data (made available for free use) and restricted data (data of critical economic, civil or military significance)
- Ensuring data protection and data security
- Possibility of restricted data access (e.g. for security-relevant data)
Analysis: Opportunities and challenges
- Efficiency potential and economic benefits
MODI addresses a key problem of modern transport systems, namely the sub-optimal utilisation of existing infrastructure. With average utilisation rates of only around 30% in public transport and an average occupancy of just 1.5 people per vehicle in private transport, there is considerable scope for efficiency gains. Through data-driven traffic management, these potentials can be harnessed in a targeted manner. This allows traffic flows to be better coordinated, unnecessary search traffic to be reduced and multimodal travel chains to be significantly simplified. At the same time, logistics processes also benefit from more precise and better-linked information, which contributes to a more efficient use of existing capacities across the entire mobility system.
- Competition and the platform economy
Another key aspect is digital sovereignty. Currently, international platform providers (e.g. navigation services) dominate access to mobility data. These often operate commercially and lack transparency.
MODI could create a neutral data space here, thereby also facilitating market access for new providers and thus reducing distortions of competition.
However, it remains to be seen whether voluntary participation is sufficient to achieve critical mass.
- Interoperability and standardisation
Technical standardisation is one of the greatest challenges. Without uniform interfaces and data formats, interoperability remains limited. Here, the state has a key coordinating role to play.
Practical implications
The introduction of MODI has far-reaching practical implications for various stakeholder groups. Businesses, particularly in the logistics sector, benefit from a significantly improved data landscape, enabling more precise planning and more efficient execution of transport operations. At the same time, the standardised and networked provision of mobility data opens up opportunities for new and existing mobility providers to develop innovative business models and tap into additional customer segments. Technology companies and start-ups also gain new opportunities to establish digital platform solutions and data-based services through easier access to high-quality and interoperable data.
There are also significant benefits for public authorities. An improved data foundation enables more precise transport planning and more efficient management of transport systems. Particularly in the context of crises and emergency situations, relevant information can be provided more quickly and reliably, contributing to improved coordination and ultimately to greater safety. Furthermore, networked mobility data supports more informed decision-making at all levels of government.
MODI also brings tangible improvements for the general public. Travellers benefit from optimised route planning that better integrates different modes of transport and makes them more flexible to combine. This not only reduces congestion and waiting times but also makes it easier to organise everyday mobility.
Conclusion and outlook
With MODIG, Switzerland is breaking new regulatory ground: for the first time, mobility data is being systematically conceived as public infrastructure. The approach is innovative from both a technological and legal-policy perspective, but relies heavily on cooperation and voluntary participation.
Whether MODI can realise its full potential will depend crucially on whether it succeeds in building trust and integrating a critical mass of stakeholders. The planned evaluation after eight years is therefore logical.
In the long term, MODI could serve as a blueprint for other data-driven infrastructures – for example, in the energy or healthcare sectors.