Which transportation payment innovation was first introduced by the Hong Kong MTR in 1997 before spreading globally to transform urban transit systems?

Modern public transportation systems have undergone significant changes in how passengers pay for their rides. Point-of-sale innovations have transformed the passenger experience, from paper tickets to advanced digital solutions. This trivia question explores a key innovation in transportation payment systems that changed urban mobility forever.

This is a live public trivia poll on AIPolls.Net. Vote and see real-time results.

Octopus card - the first widely adopted contactless smart card payment system for transportation
Mobile QR code ticketing - the first smartphone-based paperless ticket solution
Open payment systems - allowing direct payment with credit cards at transit gates
Account-based ticketing - centralized fare calculation based on identified users rather than stored value