Hacon Kids App World Premiere

The Berlin-Brandenburg public transport authority VBB proudly presents its brand-new app that is dedicated to child-specific needs.

As of today, "VBB jump" will begin navigating a younger app user group from door to door. Based on the Hacon Kids App, which utilizes the latest in safety and child-friendly innovations, the new mobility app for the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg will now be available for mobile Android devices – in a first step toward safer travel for kids.

The Hacon Kids App's main feature is the simple and intuitive user interface tailored to meet the needs and abilities of younger passengers. Hacon developed the new application based on qualitative analyses with numerous children and their parents, interviews at schools in Berlin and extensive usability tests. By conducting comprehensive research, a variety of factors were considered during the development process, such as insights into the preferred routes and means of transport that children use, as well as how they handle smartphones in general and navigation apps in particular.

In addition to a child-friendly interface and clear structure, both children and parents are excited about the new help function that is always visible in the app: If a child has boarded the wrong bus or needs help, he or she can quickly and easily reach parents or previously defined contacts via text message or a phone call. The app then automatically forwards GPS information regarding the child's location and the cellphone's current battery level.

Michael Frankenberg, Hacon CEO and father of two sons, explains the idea behind the new app: "Assuming that driver's licenses and private cars will play even lesser roles for the young generation, the importance of public transport will continue to grow. This is exactly where our Kids App comes into play: With 'VBB jump,' children will now intuitively and safely find their way from A to B. A great premiere together with our long-time customer VBB!"

VBB Managing Director Susanne Henckel added: "We want to get children excited about bus and rail travel at an early age and support them as much as possible. Sometimes it might be quite complex to navigate through our transport system. 'VBB jump' makes digital trip planning a breeze and paves the way for children and maybe even elderly passengers to quickly and easily get around."