Smart Mobility

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Smart Mobility

Imagine cities where moving around is easy, clean, and socially just for everyone. That’s what smart mobility is all about. As cities face big problems like climate change, traffic jams, and air pollution, we need to rethink how people and things move around. Smart mobility is a key part of making cities “smart”1Contributors to Wikipedia, “Città intelligente”, Wikipedia, 2025, https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citt%C3%A0_intelligente, creating innovative transportation solutions that are sustainable and use the latest technology. This means relying less on personal cars and adopting a sharing mind-set in the transport sector2Sibila Di Palma, “Smart city, investimenti in crescita anche in Italia”, 2023, La Republica, https://www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/dossier/viaggio-al-centro-del-futuro-ok/2023/03/22/news/smart_city_investimenti_in_crescita_anche_in_italia-393280337/.

Smart mobility is also critical in meeting global goals like the UN Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement. These global frameworks emphasise the need for sustainable cities (Goal 11), clean energy (Goal 7), good health and wellbeing (Goal 3), reduced inequalities (Goal 10), and climate action (Goal 13). Making urban transport smarter directly supports these aims by reducing emissions, promoting equity in mobility, and shifting toward greener alternatives like walking, cycling, and electric transport3European Commission, “Transportation and the green deal”, no date, https://www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/dossier/viaggio-al-centro-del-futuro-ok/2023/03/22/news/smart_city_investimenti_in_crescita_anche_in_italia-393280337/.

Watch this video to learn more about the role of mobility in meeting climate neutrality in European cities:

Private or public mobility

To create smart mobility, city planners need to think differently about how people travel. We can’t keep relying on systems built mostly for private cars, as they’re not good for the health of cities or their people4World Health Organization (WHO), “Ambient (Outdoor) Air Pollution”, 2024, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health. At the heart of this shift is the need to clearly understand the difference between private and public transport, as this distinction plays a crucial role in shaping the future of urban mobility.

Private transport means vehicles that individuals own and use for themselves. This includes cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and personal e-scooters. Private transport offers freedom and flexibility, letting people go where they want, when they want. However, lots of private vehicles can lead to traffic jams, air pollution, and too much space being used for parking. They also have personal costs like fuel, maintenance, and insurance5Contributors to Wikipedia, “Private transport”, Wikipedia, 2025, https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citt%C3%A0_intelligente.

On the other hand, public transport is open to everyone and is usually run by the government or regulated private companies. Examples include buses, trams, subways, and trains. Public transport is more efficient in terms of energy use and space, as it carries many passengers at once. It’s generally more affordable and better for the environment, especially when powered by clean energy. While it may not be as flexible as private transport due to set routes and schedules, it’s important for making mobility accessible to those who can’t afford a private vehicle6Contributors to Wikipedia, “Public Transport”, Wikipedia, 2025, https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citt%C3%A0_intelligente.

Understanding and balancing private and public transport is essential for creating smarter, greener cities. By focusing on public transport, shared options, and active transport like walking and cycling, planners can reduce car dependency, improve air quality, and ensure all citizens can move around safely. However, it is also important to recall that the availability of public transport is not the same all over the world (take a look at the map below), and that availability and accessibility, both physical and economic, are not the same7Alberto Dianin and Elisa Ravazzoli, “Come migliorare il trasporto pubblico delle aree rurali nel futuro con lo stesso budget di oggi?”, 2023, Eurac Research, https://www.eurac.edu/it/blogs/regionalstories/come-migliorare-il-trasporto-pubblico-delle-aree-rurali-nel-futuro-con-lo-stesso.

Types of Future Mobility & Fuel Choices

Cities worldwide are exploring new mobility solutions to improve the lives of their citizens and the environment. While these solutions often seem great in theory, in practice it is often a challenge to build the infrastructure, ensure everyone can use them, and change the habits of citizens. Let’s explore some of the key types of mobility being adopted in smart cities today, the fuels that power them, and the real-world challenges they face.

Micromobility

Micromobility refers to small, personal vehicles like bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters for short trips. They’re eco-friendly, affordable, and take up less space. Cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen have embraced cycling for decades and have efficient infrastructure. Many other cities, like Paris, Bologna and Barcelona, have more recently made major investments to expand their cycling networks and launched bike-sharing systems that include both regular and electric bikes8Bicycle NSW, “Bike-friendly cities: a snapshot of success”, March 15, 2025, https://bicyclensw.org.au/global-bike-friendly-infrastructure-a-snapshot-of-success/.

While micromobility offers many advantages, it also faces significant challenges. A key issue is infrastructure. Many cities do not have enough well-marked and maintained bike lanes, which are essential for safe and easy travel. Without dedicated lanes, riders often must share space with cars or pedestrians, raising safety concerns. Additionally, the cost of renting e-bikes or e-scooters, especially through app-based services, can be too expensive for some people, particularly those with lower incomes. This cost barrier restricts equitable access to micromobility, meaning not everyone has the same opportunity to use these services9McKinsey and Company, “What is micromobility?”, April 29, 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-micromobility.

Take a look at this video to learn more about the Netherlands’ long history of promoting bikes and how it eventually built a biking utopia:

Take a look at this video to discover how the bike has taken over the streets in Paris:

Shared Mobility

Shared mobility services include car-sharing, ride-hailing apps, and pooled shuttle systems (on-demand or scheduled transportation providing flexible-route/on-demand services like Via or Uber Shuttle). Shared mobility allows users access to vehicles on-demand without owning them. These models offer greater flexibility and convenience while helping reduce traffic and the total number of vehicles on the road10Osservatorio Nazionale Sharing Mobility, “Cosa si intende per sharing mobility?”, no date, https://osservatoriosharingmobility.it/sharing-mobility/.

Berlin is a leading example of shared mobility integration, with services like Share Now and Miles Mobility embedded into the public transport ecosystem, allowing residents to plan multi-modal journeys.

However, shared mobility is not without its flaws. In many cases, these services compete with public transport, potentially diverting users from more sustainable options like buses and trams. Accessibility is another concern; shared mobility platforms usually require a smartphone, internet connection, and digital payment methods, which are not available to all. Additionally, supply tends to be concentrated in wealthier or central neighbourhoods, leaving underserved communities with fewer options.

Trams and Light Rail

While the initial infrastructure investment for trams and light rail is higher than electric buses, their lower operating costs due to high energy efficiency, higher passenger capacity, and longer lifespan makes them an attractive option for many cities. Electric trams require less energy to operate and draw power directly from the grid, avoiding the significant energy losses (up to 30%) that occur during battery charging and storage in electric buses. These energy inefficiencies, combined with the environmental costs of battery production and disposal, make battery-powered buses less sustainable in the long run.

Paris is adding more tram lines to help people travel around the city every day and to take some pressure off the subway. These trams connect the busy city center with the suburbs, making it easier to travel around the whole region and reducing reliance on private vehicles.

Even so, constructing tram lines takes a lot of time and money. It can cause big changes to streets and neighborhoods, and the machines used for construction often run on fossil fuels, causing a temporary increase in pollution. Also, successfully putting trams into a city requires careful planning and long-term support from the government, which not all cities can easily provide11Ilaria Ciuti, “Tram o non tram? Riparte il dibattito, ma la cura del ferro salva l’ambiente”, May 10, 2024, The Dot Cultura, https://www.thedotcultura.it/tram-o-non-tram-riparte-il-dibattito-ma-la-cura-del-ferro-salva-lambiente/.

Watch this video to learn more about trams and why they are often selected as the preferred solution in Smart Cities:

Mobility as a Service (MaaS)

Mobility as a Service, also known as MaaS, is a system that brings together different ways of traveling, like buses, trains, bikes, and car-sharing, into one digital platform. With MaaS, you can use a single app or website to plan your trip, book different kinds of transport, and pay for everything together. This makes travel very convenient and flexible, and it encourages people to use a mix of public and shared transport instead of just their own cars. Cities like Vienna and Copenhagen are leading the way with MaaS, offering platforms where you can manage everything from subway rides to bike rentals in one place12Dipartimento per la trasformazione digitale, “Mobility as a service for Italy”, no date, Governo Italiano, https://innovazione.gov.it/progetti/mobility-as-a-service-for-italy/.

However, MaaS systems rely on a lot of data being shared between different companies and the government, which can be tricky to set up and keep working. Another challenge is what we call ‘digital exclusion.’ People who don’t have smartphones, credit cards, or internet access might not be able to use MaaS. Also, getting people to change their travel habits takes time and effort, in order to teach them about these new options. This means that even when MaaS systems are available, it might take a while for people to start using them regularly13Mike Long Branch, “MaaS or SaaM: Mobility-as-a-Service pros & cons (Transportist)”, August 10, 2023, London Reconnections, https://www.londonreconnections.com/2023/maas-or-saam-mobility-as-a-service-pros-cons-transportist/#:~:text=MaaS%20has%20been%20gaining%20traction%20as%20a,and%20security%20concerns**%20*%20**Unsustainable%20business%20models**.

Learn more about MaaS:

Examples of Smart Public Transport

Smart public transport involves electrified buses, real-time tracking systems, digital ticketing, and integrated route planning to create faster, cleaner, and more efficient services. Helsinki, for instance, operates a growing fleet of electric buses and uses the Whim app to integrate metro, tram, bike, taxi, and car-share services into a single interface.

Italy is making good progress too, with 1,000 electric buses put into use in 2024, which is 21% of all buses in the country. Italy has set a goal to have 88% of its buses electric by 2050. Even though this is a great step, there are still challenges. Electric buses and the charging stations are expensive to build and getting the lithium for the batteries can harm the environment and raise ethical questions. Furthermore, in places where not everyone is comfortable using technology, making all schedules and tickets digital could leave some people out.

Advantages of Smart Mobility

Less congestion and cleaner air
Smart mobility solutions reduce private cars leading to less traffic congestion, shorter travel times and better air quality. For citizens, this means less time spent in traffic, fewer respiratory health problems caused by pollution, and a more pleasant urban environment for walking, cycling, and recreation.

Lower emissions and climate-friendly transport
Using electric vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps meet climate targets. For citizens, it means living in communities that are actively protecting the environment for future generations and experiencing fewer extreme weather impacts tied to urban emissions.

Better data and decision-making through real-time monitoring
Real-time data collection and analysis helps cities respond to problems like congestion and improve services by adjusting routes and planning more efficiently. For citizens, this results in more reliable and responsive services, with transport options that better match their actual daily needs and patterns.

More equitable access to transport when designed inclusively
When designed inclusively, smart mobility provides opportunities for everyone, regardless of income or ability, including seniors, people with disabilities, youth, and low-income individuals. For citizens, this increases social inclusion, job access, and overall quality of life.

Support for global sustainability goals and better quality of urban life
Smart mobility aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting sustainable cities, reducing inequality, and addressing climate change. For residents, this translates into more vibrant, walkable, and people-centred urban spaces, where transport is not just a means of travel, but a contributor to social wellbeing, environmental health, and community connection14Daniela Müller-Eie and Ioannis Kosmidis, “Sustainable mobility in smart cities: a document study of mobility initiatives of mid-sized Nordic smart cities”, October 16, 2023, European Transport Research Review, 15(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-023-00610-4.

Challenges to Address

High cost of infrastructure and maintenance
Electric buses, charging stations, data systems, and autonomous vehicle networks require significant investment up front and ongoing maintenance. Many cities, especially in the Global South or in economically weaker regions, struggle to finance these changes. For citizens, this can mean slow implementation, uneven service quality, and limited access depending on where they live or how much funding is available locally.

Digital exclusion and unequal access to smart services
Many smart mobility systems rely on apps, smartphones, and online payments. This excludes people without access to digital tools, such as the elderly, low-income households, or those in rural areas. As a result, some citizens may be unable to benefit from the most innovative and efficient mobility options, widening the social gap rather than narrowing it.

Policy lag and slow regulatory updates
Innovation in mobility often moves faster than the laws and policies meant to govern it. Without updated legal frameworks for things like data privacy, shared vehicle liability, and AI in transport, cities can’t move forward confidently. For citizens, this can result in confusion, a lack of protection, or delays in accessing safer and smarter services.

Need for clear communication and public trust
Public resistance often arises when new mobility systems are introduced without sufficient information, community involvement, or transparency. Misunderstandings or fears, especially around autonomous vehicles or the removal of car lanes, can slow down or block implementation. Citizens need to trust that the changes will truly benefit them.

Defining and measuring success over time
Without clear indicators of what makes a smart mobility project “successful,” it becomes hard to evaluate impact or make improvements. Cities may overemphasise flashy tech instead of long-term value. For citizens, this can mean wasted public funds, short-lived pilot programs, or systems that look good on paper but don’t improve their daily lives15Nomadia, “Advantages and Challenges of Smart Mobility”, August 28, 2023, https://www.nomadia.com/en/resources/blog/advantages-and-challenges-of-smart-mobility/#:~:text=Establishing%20adequate%20infrastructure%20for%20smart,to%20safeguard%20users’%20personal%20data..

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