An introduction and background to urban planning – The benefits and opportunities for the future
Professor Nick Reed, Head of mobility research and development at Bosch
“A new world of connected and automated vehicles, represents a mobility revolution that some imagine to be as dramatic as the shift from horses to cars.”
The automotive sector has continually adapted and embraced technology. Vehicles today are safer, cleaner, more efficient and more comfortable than they have ever been.
However, a new world of connected and automated vehicles represents a mobility revolution that some imagine being as dramatic as the shift from horses to cars.
The benefits that connected and automated vehicles can deliver are enticing. Safer vehicles do not get distracted or fatigued, unlike humans, while smarter vehicles can avoid congestion, or at least allow us to reclaim the time spent in traffic jams for productive use.
The emergence of mobility-as-a-service, meanwhile, means vehicles can achieve maximum usage potential by being shared and spending less time stationary in a car park.
“Technology provides us with a wider variety of options over how we choose to live our lives”
This might mean a transportation system that places greater emphasis on societal wellbeing, with safety and efficiency at its heart. This could include encouraging walking and cycling as part of the journey to support wider health objectives; providing a more inclusive transport system that better caters to the needs of rural communities, the elderly and disabled travellers; and supporting efficient transport by encouraging shared mobility wherever possible.
A growth in our ability to collect and use objective data about our environment in intelligent ways could ultimately help the development of new business models that enable our understanding of mobility needs. This includes data collected from smartphones, cameras, sensor systems and vehicles. Analysis of the data collected can provide fascinating insights into how and why journeys are undertaken and how these journeys can be completed in safer and more equitable ways.
Ensuring this data is collected and used in ways that are ethical, secure and transparent is vital. The laws and regulations that surround this must enable organisations to innovate but also guarantee the privacy and interests of individuals.
The findings from the data may be a vital component in building a convincing case for the optimal deployment of connected and automated vehicles, so they deliver the greatest benefit for the broadest range of people.
