Abstract Summary
As the world accelerates towards an era of transformative change, the landscape of urban mobility undergoes a paradigm shift, with a lot of new mobility services emerging as the pivotal modes for sustainable transportation. At the AMS conference, we’d like to invite mobility experts, urban planners, scientists and policy makers to think about the questions of how the future(s) of urban mobility can look like in an interactive session or workshop. Through an engaging workshop participants will explore these distinct perspectives to craft nuanced, resilient, and visionary strategies for the future of mobility, 15 to 20 years from now. We begin the workshop by explaining the research imec has done around identifying trends, potential issues and new technologies that (may) develop. On that basis, we will outline some possible future scenarios. This is the starting point to further fine tune these scenarios with the participants, encouraging them to challenge and envision possible and plausible scenarios of mobility. During the workshop, we will apply a method using metaphorical concepts of black Swans, Elephants and Jellyfish to describe different types of unforeseen and unpredictable events, especially in the context of risk and uncertainty. Together they form a powerful methodological lens for anticipating a various set of futures in the realm of cycling: Black Swans refer to events that are highly improbable and unpredictable but have a massive impact when they occur. Imagine a new pandemic, or what if a war broke out in the EU? What if the Metaverse really becomes a success and we prefer to move around in a digital world rather than in our physical world? Black Elephants symbolize the large and slow-moving trends people are afraid and/or uncomfortable to talk about. It's the opposite of a black swan in the sense that it's a known unknown, yet often overlooked. Imagine that it becomes too hot to ride a bike? What if A.I. will make it unnecessary to commute to our jobs? What if the production of batteries stops due to a shortage of raw materials? Black Jellyfish are things we think we know and understand but which turn out to be far more complex and uncertain than we expected. What if travelling through air in drones becomes the new normal, or what if autonomous bikes get us everywhere? Through this workshop, participants will not only gain insights into the potential trajectories of mobility but also foster a deeper understanding of the uncertainties and opportunities that lie ahead. All participants are welcome, as no specific skills or prior experience are required.
