Milpitas, CA – June 18, 2015 – A pilot project in Columbia’s second-largest metropolitan area is set to demonstrate how transport ticketing using contactless smart card technology can make public transit more convenient for millions of passengers while providing options for cash-free commerce. The smart card solution uses a security controller from Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) and is based on the CIPURSE™ open security standard for transport ticketing systems.

Officials in the city of Medellin selected Stratos Group SA to implement the pilot, which involves ticketing for a selected group of riders using eight of the metropolitan region’s bus lines, which operate 885 vehicles and serve more than 300,000 passengers daily (nearly one-third of the average number of bus riders in the region). The CIPURSE open standard, and subsequently the Infineon security controller, was selected for its ability to support standards-based ticketing, added applications using the smart card, and the potential to expand the system to included user’s mobile devices such as smart phones and watches.

With the new “efectiva” smart card, a very much improved user experience is offered to the travelers. In addition to fare payment, the multifunction card supports up to seven additional applications. For example, it can be used to pay for items at kiosks, for access control to office buildings and to collect customer loyalty points.

“Thanks to the security chips from Infineon, we’ve been able to develop a multifunctional smart card solution that is secure, flexible, and sustainable”, says Jaime Patino Escobar, CEO of Stratos Group. “That benefits consumers and transit companies at the same time.”

“More and more people will live in metropolitan regions in the decades to come, and will use public transit. With ticketing based on security chip products, we don’t just provide smooth procedures at entry points, we also improve and simplify the everyday lives of people,” says Arnaud Moser, Director of Chip Card and Security Business Development at Infineon Technologies North America. “The choice of the CIPURSE open standard for this pilot shows that the city of Medellin recognizes the value of building a system supported by an ecosystem of solution providers and technology suppliers.”

Forecasts predict that by 2050 almost 70 per cent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. Major growth regions for megacities are South America and Asia Pacific. Public transportation and fast and secure transit solutions will consequently become an important pillar of urban development.

The CIPURSE™ security standard – flexible, secure, multifunctional

CIPURSE is an open security standard available to any company. Jointly defined product specifications and independent testing procedures ensure that CIPURSE-based products are compatible with one another. User data is transmitted using contactless technologies and can therefore be loaded not just onto contactless smart cards, but also onto smartphones or smart watches.

Regardless of whether a smart card or a mobile device is used, the user’s data is effectively protected. The security standard is based on AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. The data is not only stored on the card or mobile device in encrypted form, but also encrypted when sent to the reader.

CIPURSE is defined by the OSPT Alliance and supported by leading companies like Deutsche Telekom, Giesecke & Devrient, Oberthur Technologies and Samsung.

Infineon chips provide particularly fast data transmission

For modern ticket systems, the reliability and speed of contactless transactions also play a very essential role. Infineon secure controller chips achieve data transfer rates that are far better than the industry-standard transaction time of 0.2 seconds.  This reduces the chance of backups at the turnstile, which increases user convenience and acceptance of electronic ticket solutions.

Infineon is one of the world’s leading providers of secure semiconductor solutions for transport ticketing applications. More than five billion security chips from Infineon are in use for electronic ticket systems, such as the ov-chipkaart in the Netherlands and T-Money in Seoul. For the development of advanced, future-oriented ticket system that can handle the demands of increasing urbanization, Infineon refers to the open CIPURSE standard with its complete product portfolio for CIPURSE-based smart cards, single-use tickets, and readers.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG is a world leader in semiconductors. Infineon offers products and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, mobility and security. In the 2014 fiscal year (ending September 30), the company reported sales of Euro 4.3 billion with about 29,800 employees worldwide. In January 2015, Infineon acquired US-based International Rectifier Corporation, a leading provider of power management technology, with revenues of USD 1.1 billion (fiscal year 2014 ending June 29) and approximately 4,200 employees.

Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).

Further information is available at www.infineon.com