Mobility and Transport  are fundamental and vital for the economy and society worldwide. For Europe, efficient and sustainable transportation and mobility is essential for participating in the world economy, sustaining  the prosperity of Europe. Transport and mobility has grown substantially over the past decades, given relatively low fuel  prices, expanding infrastructure and relatively unambitious environmental constraints. Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that transport and mobility can no longer grow on the same path without serious environmental, social and economic consequences.
As stated by the European Commission in the Transport 2050 Whitepaper (Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area), European mobility and transportation is facing a number of challenges:

• CO2 emissions from transport are still growing, despite cleaner vehicles, with increasing mobility and transport demand
• Transport is extremely dependent upon on fossil fuel, while crude oil will become scarcer and more expensive
• Rising levels of congestion, while demand for mobility and transport is growing further
• Infrastructure capacities in eastern and western parts of Europe are unequally developed, with poor infrastructure conditions for people and businesses in eastern parts
• The European transport industries are  facing  a growing competition from other world regions developing transport modernization and infrastructure investment programmes.

The European Commission developed a new vision, strategy and a long agenda of policy measures for addressing these issues in its Whitepaper. This strategy includes many different policy directions, from developing a single European transport area, to promoting the security and safety of the transport system, to investing in a trans-European transport network and coordinating infrastructure pricing and taxation systems at the national and regional level. Also part of this strategy is stimulating innovation, both in terms of technology and services.

A central concept in the transport and mobility vision is smart mobility. Mobility and transportation is involving not alone travelling and transport, but also the related decision why and how to move or ship   for example to choose  alternatives  such as virtual presence or electronic posting. Smart mobility, in turn, involves both making transport systems intelligent through the use of ICT and the possibilities that advanced ICT offers in the decision making on why or how to travel or transport.

Smart mobility is not an end in itself, but rather a means to answer the challenge of an European transport system that is resource-efficient, environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless across all transport modes for the benefit of citizens, the economy and society.

Moreover, smart mobility is not isolated from other domains where the use of ICT can contribute to answering societal challenges. Smart mobility is for example inextricably bound up with other “smart” developments, including smart cities (in which building knowledge communication and social infrastructure is central), smart working (ICT enabling changing, flexible working situations) and smart living (ICT saturating the living environment). In the transport sector the term “smart” is bound to a shift from car use and ownership to more service oriented mobility at least in urban areas.    
Many of the road maps, action plans and research priorities  focus on realizing future technological solutions and service innovations for challenges that are presently recognized like described in the EC Transport Whitepaper. However, the addressed solutions, often have a technological focus. The present visions on smart mobility and transport would benefit from a thorough discussion of alternative opportunities which are not presently easily recognized, combined with a view on the impact of these opportunities on the lives of individuals and the European society.

Registration
The EFP policy workshop is open and free of charge to experts, scientists, policy makers, and industry representatives with an interest in the future of smart mobility. For registration, please send and email to annelieke.vandergiessen@tno.nl.

Venue
Neth-ER
Aarlenstraat 22 / 22, Rue d’Arlon
1050 BRUSSELS
BELGIUM
Telephone: +32 (0)2 511 50 40

Source: mail by JRC IPTS