Smart transportation systems need smart governance
Two EPFL researchers have just published a book highlighting the need for cities to adopt adequate governance mechanisms for their transportation systems. That will let them leverage and regulate the potential of modern - i.e., shared, automated, electric and fully integrated - mobility solutions. We used to talk about means of transportation; now we have transportation systems. Today's smart systems are built around four pillars: sharing, automation, electric power and integrated mobility. Professor Matthias Finger and PhD student Maxime Audouin, both from the La Poste Chair in Management of Network Industries at EPFL, have published a new book* describing governance mechanisms that can help cities make the most of these changes. We spoke with Audouin about why governance is important. Why did you decide to study transportation system governance? Transportation today is largely dominated by personal cars, and that has become counter-productive. Cities are gridlocked with traffic congestion - reflecting a major failure of their transportation systems. New solutions do exist, thanks in large part to advancements in information and communication technology, and they are generally based more on the usage than the ownership of the means of transport. They are paving the way to new kinds of transportation systems and making it possible to transition to a post-car, and potentially more sustainable, world. The transportation industry is being disrupted by four major shifts caused by the development of mobility solutions that are shared, automated, electric and integrated. Why should cities be so concerned about governance?
