Smart and sustainable mobility infrastructure – A new system of integrated services for improving urban life

Tackling the Challenges of Urban Mobility

Traffic jams, long commutes, noise, and pollution have become major blights on urban life. As the global population grows and becomes increasingly urbanized, these problems are likely to escalate. Already, 56% of the world’s population live in cities, and by 2050, nearly seven in ten people will do so. Even cities without projected population growth grapple with transport volumes that put pressure on urban space and infrastructure.

To address these challenges, forward-thinking cities are looking at ways to ease road congestion, decrease emissions, and safeguard neighborhoods and green spaces – thereby improving quality of life. Hundreds of projects have been designed to enhance transport systems at the city level around the world, including developing public-transport infrastructure, digitizing transport-system processes, and expanding pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

For example, the city of Amsterdam, which made the strategic decision to reduce the use of private cars as far back as the 1970s, is now planning to implement mobility hubs that integrate different transport modes with shared mobility options such as electric bikes or scooters. Similarly, the city of Paris plans to add 180 km of segregated bicycle lanes and triple the number of bike parking spots throughout the city.

The Evolving Urban Mobility Ecosystem

Solving for urban mobility is a pressing challenge, and a highly complex one, as it involves multiple transport modes – including road infrastructure and public transport networks – and a diverse set of stakeholders such as governments, municipalities, city councils, and service providers. Moreover, what works in one city may not work in another, as solutions are often city-specific and bespoke, making them difficult to replicate and scale.

Three major trends are shaping the urban mobility ecosystem:

1. Growing Demand for Urban Transport: OECD projections indicate that total demand for urban passenger transport will more than double by 2050, compared to 2015. Additionally, recent COVID-19-related changes in consumer habits have posed significant challenges on urban roads, specifically the increase in last-mile delivery vehicles as a consequence of the e-commerce boom.

2. Emerging Mobility Technologies: Shared mobility, electric, and autonomous vehicles have disrupted urban mobility. Depending on customer acceptance, regulations, and technological progress, spending on shared-mobility services could reach $500 billion to $1 trillion in 2030. Meanwhile, the future of the automotive industry is looking increasingly electric, with regulations like the Advanced Clean Cars II mandate in California requiring all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs to be zero emissions by 2035.

3. Sustainability and Decarbonization Efforts: The transport sector is responsible for around one quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions, with passenger cars generating more than half of these emissions. Governments, institutions, and businesses are setting decarbonization goals, such as the European Union’s aim to be climate neutral by 2050 and the U.S. government’s target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

As these trends unfold, cities are growing and evolving, and their citizens’ needs are changing. Livability and quality of life will become increasingly important, and shifting consumer preferences may shape the cities of the future.

Leveraging Technology for Smarter Mobility

Advances such as the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing create a mix of connectivity in cities that can enable solutions for reshaping the urban mobility landscape. Several actors from different industries have invested in mobility digitalization and new technologies, including established tech companies, systems integrators, startups, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), digital platforms, and payment companies.

Three of the most advanced systems and solutions currently in development are:

1. Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS): ITS refers to systems in which technologies are applied in the field of road transport, including infrastructure, vehicles, and users, as well as traffic management and mobility management. ITS can play a significant role in improving road safety, reducing congestion, optimizing transport efficiency, enhancing mobility, and reducing energy use and environmental impacts.

2. Urban Congestion Charging: Digital cameras that can identify license plates and classify vehicles in urban areas enable congestion charging mechanisms. By surcharging or restricting private car access to congested areas, typically city centers, regulators aim to reduce traffic congestion and improve other recurring issues, like air quality and noise pollution.

3. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Platforms: MaaS platforms combine urban transport modes and services, such as public transport, shared mobility, urban rail, and parking, by leveraging data and information to integrate planning, booking, payment, and customer-service processes. These platforms can benefit both consumers and cities, providing better transparency over travel options and pricing for passengers, while improving traffic flows and overall transport system efficiency for cities.

These three technologies are often implemented in conjunction with other initiatives or urban architecture projects, such as developing dedicated lanes for public transport or bicycles, establishing restricted access areas, or enforcing on-street parking payments.

Overcoming the Challenges of Implementation

Even though these technologies act as fundamental enablers for solving urban mobility challenges and boosting cities’ livability, their implementation at scale is struggling to take off. Implementing technologies at scale is a complex and challenging process for several reasons:

1. Multiple Stakeholders Involved: The issue of mobility is managed by many actors, each with different objectives, budgets, sources of funding, and legacy technology. Communication and coordination across these stakeholders can be difficult and may pose challenges to implementation.

2. Unique, Non-Scalable Solutions: International examples show that urban mobility projects are often unique and cannot be directly replicated and scaled. Cities require tailor-made solutions, as needs vary according to factors such as the maturity level of the system already installed, the budget allocated for the project, and the targets to be achieved.

3. Complexity of Integration: Solutions for smart mobility depend on the mix and integration of multiple layers, including hardware and IoT devices, software to collect and synthesize data from multiple sources, and third-party providers who install and maintain the hardware and software. Each component has to be adapted to local standards and tech protocols, and the solution will likely need to be compatible with all kinds of legacy applications still in operation.

To address these challenges, an ecosystem approach can increase the chances of success when implementing digital technology at scale. In this approach, every actor plays a critical role in successful implementation and the resulting impact, as any change in one area is likely to affect all others. Actors need to work together, across the mobility ecosystem, to upgrade existing public transport systems and road infrastructure, and make traffic more fluid – ultimately increasing people’s quality of life.

Real-World Examples of Successful Implementation

In the spirit of broadening the debate about how to design and implement smart urban mobility solutions, the following seven examples of real-world challenges and how cities solved them can shed light on how new technologies and an ecosystem approach can lead to positive outcomes:

1. Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA: A private operator committed to installing nearly 3,000 traffic controllers to upgrade the traffic-detection infrastructure in Miami-Dade County, as part of a seven-year partnership between the private operator and the county.

2. Copenhagen, Denmark: The city invested in ITS by installing new controllers in traffic signals at the city’s intersections, enabling real-time control and optimization of signals to improve the flow of bikes, buses, and reduce accidents.

3. London, UK, and Singapore: These cities successfully implemented congestion pricing mechanisms to reduce traffic congestion in city centers during rush hours, leading to significant reductions in traffic, delays, and improvements in travel speeds and public transport reliability.

4. Berlin, Germany, and Helsinki, Finland: These cities have launched Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms that allow travelers to purchase tickets for multiple transport options through a single app, tailored to local contexts.

5. Paris, France: The city has implemented the 15-minute city concept, where residents’ needs are easily satisfied and are within reach by a 15-minute cycle or walk, by upgrading squares with more room for pedestrians, repaving areas with new bicycle lanes, and reducing the number of parking spots.

6. Oregon, USA: The Oregon Department of Transportation is designing a cloud-based connected vehicle ecosystem that leverages moving vehicle data and public-agency data to deliver safety and mobility applications.

7. United States: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration is rolling out an Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) program that takes into account the fact that traffic conditions on one roadway will affect traffic conditions on adjoining or alternate roadways, as well as other modes of transport.

These examples demonstrate that an ecosystem approach, where all stakeholders work together, can improve the chances of successfully implementing smart mobility solutions at scale. City authorities can play a critical role in facilitating the process and orchestrating overall implementation, while technology providers can make all stakeholders aware of the available products and systems.

Conclusion

As urban populations continue to grow and the demand for efficient, sustainable mobility increases, cities must embrace innovative technologies and integrated solutions to address the complex challenges of urban transportation. By leveraging the power of Intelligent Transport Systems, congestion charging mechanisms, and Mobility-as-a-Service platforms, cities can optimize existing infrastructure, reduce emissions, and enhance the overall quality of life for their residents.

However, the implementation of these technologies at scale is no easy feat, as it requires the coordination and collaboration of a diverse set of stakeholders, each with their own objectives and constraints. By adopting an ecosystem approach, cities can increase the chances of successful implementation and create a more integrated, sustainable mobility system that serves the needs of all citizens.

The real-world examples provided in this article showcase the potential of these innovative solutions and the importance of a collaborative, tailored approach to urban mobility challenges. As cities continue to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their residents, the integration of smart and sustainable mobility infrastructure will be a crucial element in building vibrant, livable urban environments for the future.

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