Mobility 2050/Tech's Place in Micromobility

Introduction

Thinking about 2050 may seem like far into the distance, but as Benjamin Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” As cities grow, there must be greater consideration for expanding access to more feasible, desirable, and credible modes of mobility. We envision a future with high-sōsh mobility systems in combination with high-tech micromobility devices that will help restructure transportation networks across the nation.

What is Micromobility?

Micromobility is the use of small and lightweight means of transportation, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional transportation methods. Some examples include electric and non-electric bicycles, scooters, and skateboards. These forms of transportation can decrease traffic, limit pollution, and facilitate short-distance travel. With the expansion of cities, micromobility is becoming a crucial facet of urban living.

Micromobility solutions allow us to shift away from fossil-fuel dependent vehicles, notably gas cars, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Some potential solutions are improving biking access and infrastructure and encouraging e-scooter use. Furthermore, the widespread use of these alternate transportation modes can substantially alleviate traffic congestion, especially in major cities like Los Angeles or New York City, and result in shorter travel times. This dual impact will enhance the efficiency of transportation and also contribute to lower fuel consumption, fostering the creation of more livable and environmentally friendly urban spaces.

In examining the feasibility of micromobility, particularly in the context of the United States, there are some significant infrastructure challenges. Many college campuses across the states are relatively walkable, which contributes to a secure environment that encourages active engagement and meaningful interactions among students and faculty (Transloc, 2021). For example, at the University of Virginia, the majority of locations are easily accessible by foot, with micromobile transportation options like cycling, electric scooters, and on-campus buses serving as convenient alternatives for closer destinations. However, this pedestrian-friendly atmosphere contrasts with most of the U.S., where the streets aren’t as walkable. Only 34% of Americans primarily walk to their destinations, mainly because of concerns with pedestrian safety. The U.S experiences a higher rate of pedestrian fatalities than any other country (Benfield, n.d.). Major changes to the infrastructure of American cities must be made to address this issue. By prioritizing the development of well-designed sidewalks and crosswalks, urban areas can better accommodate micromobile solutions and make them more accessible and safer for pedestrians. Additionally, integrating underpasses in bridges can serve as a crucial measure to provide secure crossings, minimizing the inherent risks associated with traversing busy roads.

Technological Innovations

As previously stated, popular examples of technology in micromobility include electric scooters and bikes. These are all examples of how low technology with the addition of a battery allows people to travel longer distances and emit less carbon into the atmosphere than with a car. We expect that more pathways, docking stations, and parking garages will be available for electric bicycles and scooters in the year 2050 along with more riders. The Netherlands is an example of how people heavily rely on bikes as a form of transportation; Dutch citizens demonstrate how their society cares about this form of micromobility because there are over 300 locations near metro stations and bus stops housing bicycles for people to rent. This system integrates the use of public transport with cycling to create a complex network independent of automobiles. Incorporating this system in the U.S. would align with our commitment in the Paris Agreement to prevent global temperatures from exceeding 2 degrees Celsius and limiting carbon emissions (Nations, n.d.). A society which focuses on micromobility options is one geared towards limiting carbon emissions since it deters car usage, one of the leading sources of emissions within the transportation sector.  

Further investigation of this system shows that roughly 27% of Dutch people choose to ride a bike as a form of transportation to and from work and home (de Haas & Hamersma, n.d.). In comparison, only 0.6% of Americans commute to work by bike (Burrows, 2019). This network is made possible because of OV chip cards which connect all public transportation. In order to rent a bike you need this card as well as a seasonal pass. Renting these e-bikes is affordable and only costs $4.95 for a day of travel (Dutch Public Transport System, 2023). Linking multiple modes of public transportation in the US with a card or app would be beneficial and the US could incentivize the use of micromobility by giving cheaper rates to those who already use public transit. This incentivization strategy could look like using a flat fee instead of charging by the minute for micro mobility devices such as bikes and scooters.

Sidewalks which generate energy in conjunction with walking are a less common mode of micro mobility; these sidewalks work as “[p]ower is generated when a footprint compresses the board from a depth of 5 to 10 mm” (Souza, 2019). About 2 to 4 joules or 5 Watts of energy are generated with each step and this is enough energy to power a LED bulb for 30 seconds (Souza, 2019). We expect them to be found in more locations with heavy foot traffic such as universities and corporate facilities. Installing these sidewalks will help meet our sustainability goals since the cleaner form of energy generated will help to power these large facilities. We don’t believe that they will completely replace the current energy systems in these buildings, but their addition will decrease the amount of energy generated in non-green forms.

Challenges and Considerations

In an increasingly high-tech world, there will be technological advancements, like those mentioned, that make micromobility modes work better. However, concerns about these advancements and the willingness to accept them must be considered to determine if they are worthy.

This past September, Paris issued a citywide ban on e-scooters after a referendum passed with 90% of voters in favor (Schofield, 2023). Also, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (2023) found that there was a 21% increase in injuries involving micromobility devices between 2021 and 2022. These examples raise two important questions: Will more high-tech components necessarily make high-sōsh micro mobility devices work better and will there be more pushback to the increasing use of high-tech micromobility devices? With our solutions, we had to step back and ask if they would be adopted with no questions asked. Many people will move in the direction of society and willingly accept more high-tech micromobility modes, but for some people, stories of injuries and road disruptions will be enough to deter them. We believe that a vital component of our solutions is to avoid artificially manufacturing consent so that they are naturally adopted by people.

Looking at the bigger picture, micromobility devices and their high-tech components are all a part of a bigger system that includes all of us; pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, etc. In a TikTok posted by Angry Bikers (2023), these different social groups can be seen interacting with one another. There is the cyclist who gets mad at the pedestrians for standing in the bike lane, the pedestrians who seem to not care when called out, and the driver who parked in the bike lane and laughed at the cyclist when confronted. These groups all interact with one another, but as one can see, there is a large disconnect between them. Although we are a part of the same system – our cities and streets – the level of cohesion is fairly low. This is vital to note because we can incorporate as many high-tech components and micro mobility devices into our cities as possible, but without working on improving the relationships within these systems, the high-tech will only serve as a tool and not a solution to anything.

Making Mobility Systems Cohesive

Examples of how technology can better micromobility have been given, such as The Netherlands' well-connected transportation network. However, there are other cases closer to home which also cohere mobility systems and prioritize improving interactions between users of different modes of mobility. BikeWalk NC (n.d.) advocates for bicycle detection at traffic signals. Most traffic signals only account for automobiles and do not turn green for cyclists, creating risks for everyone on the road. Using ordinary inductive loop technology, many communities have been able to adjust signal sensors to effectively account for bicycles and motorcycles. This harmonizes traffic control and contributes to safer roads for bicyclists, motorcyclists, and car drivers alike. Also, this further shows how technology can make mobility systems as a whole work better. In this instance, technology was used to bridge the gap between users of different modes of mobility and to promote public safety, since many cyclists view automobiles, roads, and traffic devices as antithetical to their well-being. If more cities and towns across the U.S. invested in improving traffic control technology by 2050, a future where micromobility and its counterparts coexist is possible.

Conclusion

We want to emphasize that high-tech on its own will not improve these high-sōsh micromobility modes, and we need to consider several factors in order for the high-tech components to truly be of value. With that, technology has proven to be valuable in changing how our mobility systems and modes work. We presented our Vision 2050 of how high-tech components can make high-sōsh micro mobility modes work better. The systems that these modes (and us) exist in can be improved so that the high-tech really has a meaningful impact and is not just an unnecessary extension to whatever we have right now.