Taiwan's capital city launches Taipei PASS

台灣首都推出台北通

Taipei City Government develops one-stop solution app that consolidates multiple services


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei PASS, the latest app launched by the Taipei City Government, is the solution the municipality has proposed to transform Taipei into a smart city based on mobile technology.

Life in Taipei has been more convenient since the release of Taipei Card 3.0 in 2018, an app that offers personal identity verification and multiple municipal services. However, Taipei City Hall wants to learn more about its citizens; it wishes to create a system in which everyone can have personalized services at their fingertips.

For Taipei City Hall, Taipei PASS is one critical element to establish a smart city. It is more than just a registration or payment platform; the app serves as a one-stop solution for common city services.

For instance, people can now send out direct complaints or suggestions to the city via Taipei PASS. The city government will also actively remind users — young and old — of the benefits for which they qualify.

The more the app knows about its users, the more pertinent information it can offer, including daycare centers for couples with newborns or canine-friendly parks for dog owners. Everything can be found on personalized maps in the app.

In the past, most apps focused on a single function, so everyone had multiple apps they rarely used, said Lu Hsin-Ke (呂新科), the commissioner of Taipei City Government's Department of Information Technology. He believes nowadays, apps are more about the incorporation of various features, a concept upon which Taipei PASS was built.

As city hall carries out its mission to serve its citizens, Taipei PASS is expected to become an efficient and cost-effective medium to deliver messages and share information. Traditional TV and newspaper commercials are becoming less effective as people, especially younger generations, are spending most of their time on their smartphones, Lu noted.

According to Lu, that is why Taipei PASS provides discounts and coupons for products from more than 600 businesses in Taipei. Even the young, who generally have little to no connection with governmental bodies, have an incentive to download the app.

"As people are changing their habits, I believe smartphones will become the next battlefield," Lu said. "If the city government can create a cell phone-friendly environment for its citizens, the city can then precisely serve those people in need."

Taipei PASS is now available for download on app stores. The English version is expected to be launched by the end of 2020.