READINESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIGITAL TWIN ADOPTION IN VIETNAM’S URBAN TRANSPORT: LESSONS FROM GLOBAL PRACTICES

Authors:

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen,Nguyen Thi Lan Anh,Le Thi Minh Huyen,

DOI NO:

https://doi.org/10.26782/jmcms.spl.13/2026.05.00011

Keywords:

Digital Twin,Urban Transport,Smart Mobility,Policy Recommendations,Data Integration,Vietnam,

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in major Vietnamese cities, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, has led to increasing traffic congestion and air pollution, resulting in annual economic losses equivalent to 3-5% of GDP. In the context of global digital transformation, Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a strategic tool for smart and sustainable urban transport management. While countries such as Singapore, the United Kingdom, and China have made significant progress in integrating DT into urban systems, Vietnam remains at an early stage, with fragmented Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). This study reviews international experiences in applying DT to urban transport and identifies lessons for Vietnam using a qualitative comparative approach to global case studies. The findings highlight three key enablers: integrated multi-source data, cross-agency coordination, and open data governance. Based on these insights, a four-layer DT framework, comprising data acquisition, integration, simulation, and decision support, is proposed for Vietnam’s urban transport sector. The study concludes that successful DT adoption requires strong institutional leadership, a robust and secure data infrastructure, and continuous capacity building to accelerate Vietnam’s transition toward smart and green mobility.

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