Skip to main content

New research finds huge sustainability benefits from new urban mobility models

New research by UK communications technology specialist BT and Frost & Sullivan finds that new urban mobility models such as ride-sharing, smart parking technologies and ride-on-demand could reduce the amount of cars needed on urban roads globally by up to 20 million vehicles per year in 2025, offering huge sustainability benefits and an improved experience for travellers. The research, Environmentally Sustainable Innovation in Automotive Manufacturing and Urban Mobility, suggests that consumer trends t
June 29, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
New research by UK communications technology specialist 1974 BT and 2097 Frost & Sullivan finds that new urban mobility models such as ride-sharing, smart parking technologies and ride-on-demand could reduce the amount of cars needed on urban roads globally by up to 20 million vehicles per year in 2025, offering huge sustainability benefits and an improved experience for travellers.

The research, Environmentally Sustainable Innovation in Automotive Manufacturing and Urban Mobility, suggests that consumer trends towards ‘on demand’ access rather than product ownership is prompting car manufacturers to consider ride-on-demand business models. When combined with the integration of smart vehicles and smart roads and cities, all connected, these business models will lead to fewer and more efficient journeys, reducing journeys in private cars overall by 360 billion kilometres per year within the next decade.

According to the research, these developments stand to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 56 megatonnes per year in 2025, an amount equivalent to more than half the yearly emissions from transport in the UK. A further reduction of 121 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions could be achieved by automotive companies due to the reduction of the global car output by 20 million vehicles per year.

The challenge to car manufacturers isn’t limited to reducing pollution, says the report. Changing needs and habits of a young, always-on generation increasingly open to using Mobility as a Service (MaaS), and less likely to own a car, pose a challenge to traditional automotive companies.

Hubertus von Roenne, vice president global industry practices, BT says the findings show that IoT solutions will transform the entire industry. Traditional car manufacturers are rethinking their business models and will become personal mobility service providers.

According to Martyn Briggs, industry principal, Frost & Sullivan, ICT solutions are enabling service providers to overcome some of the challenges inherent in urban mobility, whilst improving the user experience and encouraging more sustainable travel. New mobility business models can achieve exactly this, he says.

With technology enabling a new way to approach urban mobility, a paradigm shift from the current ‘predict and provide’ of transportation to a ‘sense and respond’ will be introduced, using historical analytics and real-time information to deliver mobility services on-demand.

“The logic of our analysis was to reveal both the potential impacts and benefits of new mobility business models. We quantified the potential reduction in embodied carbon from vehicle manufacturing with the future reduced volume of vehicles required,” Briggs continues.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Developments in signal head lens technology
    February 3, 2012
    Heads and tails Leading manufacturers of traffic signal systems discuss developments in signal head technology as well as some of the legacy issues which affect future deployments Transparent model of Dambach's ACTROS.line technology, showing the bus electronics in the signal head Cowls could be superseded by the greater use of lens technology
  • California aims to reduce emissions 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030
    April 30, 2015
    California’s transportation systems are set for a radical overhaul following Governor Jerry Brown’s Executive order to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. Figures from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that transportation accounts for 199.3 million tonnes of CO2 - almost 60 per cent of the state’s CO2 emissions, while the next largest is industrial production (62.9 million tonnes), followed by electric power at 36.5 million tonnes, residential us
  • PTV’s software solutions help cities combat congestion and pollution
    January 25, 2018
    Smart cities must rely on a mobility mix, real-time predictive models and collaborations, argues PTV’s Miller Crockart. Transport is reaching a new frontier and cities are at the forefront of the trend: for many urbanites, mobility no longer equals a privately-owned vehicle. They want on-demand services that cater for their individual mobility needs efficiently and sustainably - whether that is shared bikes or autonomous electric vehicles. Private car ownership will not drop overnight. The smooth
  • Whim offers new unlimited and monthly packages, Helsinki
    December 4, 2017
    MaaS Global has launched two new mobility packages in Helsinki that combines public transport, taxi services and car rental, via its mobile app, Whim. The unlimited monthly deal offers free access to all modes of transport for €499 (£440) while the urban monthly package provides an unlimited number HSL single tickets and price-capped 10-euro taxi rides in a 5km radius. Additionally, it offers a fixed €49 (£43) per day Veho car rental option.