Predictions for Mobility in 2024
As we step into 2024, the landscape of urban mobility is at a pivotal juncture, marked by transformative changes in shared, connected mobility and curb management. The challenges faced by cities in managing limited curb space amidst many competing needs demand innovative solutions. In this blog post, we explore the current state of shared mobility, assess the risks in the market, and present five bold predictions for what the year ahead holds.
Current State of Shared Mobility and Curb Management
Shared mobility has become an integral part of urban life, with ride-hailing services, bikesharing, and micromobility redefining how people navigate cities. However, this rapid evolution comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in managing how these vehicles compete for access to prime real estate in cities. Transportation departments continue to grapple with the rising demands on limited urban space, combined with the desire to improve transportation sustainability and safety for all.
Market Risks and Opportunities
The market faces risks that necessitate ongoing evolution and changes initiated by cities, who play a key role in managing access to urban infrastructure. For years, industry experts and city policymakers have recognized that how they manage access to the curb must fundamentally change. Yet, progress to digitally manage curbs for diverse use cases (such as delivery, micromobility) has been slow. The current state: limited improvements to transportation safety, micromobility programs that are struggling without subsidies, and continued chaos at the curb, where delivery companies often do not have access to adequate loading spaces they need, and where cities do not collect revenue from connected fleets that increasingly reflect a larger and larger portion of city traffic.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $94 million in its first round of grants to accelerate smart technology adoption to deliver safer, more equitable, efficient transportation systems. Many of these grants will fund innovative curb management initiatives to build the digital infrastructure to easily adapt and share parking policies, and to launch digital smart zones for more effective management of delivery services. Additional USDOT SMART grants, available in 2024, will offer a new batch of cities funding to accelerate progress towards a better transportation future.
Designing A Better Curb and Mobility Future - 5 Predictions for 2024
Broad Adoption of Digital Curb Management Solutions:
As cities confront continued challenges at their curbs, and opportunities to leverage federal funding for accelerated innovation, the adoption of digital curb management systems will surge. These systems will empower cities with real-time data about supply and demand, enabling efficient allocation of curb space, reducing congestion, and enhancing the overall flow of traffic.
2. Seamless Hardware-Free Parking Payments:
The future of parking payments will be characterized by seamless, hardware-free transactions. Advanced GPS-enabled applications will allow connected vehicles to pay for parking effortlessly, eliminating the need for physical meters and reducing the hassle associated with traditional payment methods.
3. Rise of Smart Infrastructure:
The integration of smart infrastructure, including sensors, cameras, and other technologies, will play a pivotal role in optimizing urban mobility. These technologies will enable cities to gather comprehensive data on parking and travel lane violations, as well as parking occupancy to inform dynamic pricing and enhance overall curb planning and efficiency.
4. Continued Expansion of Autonomous Vehicles:
Despite encountering a few setbacks, the expansion of autonomous vehicles will continue to gain momentum in 2024. Cities will witness increased testing and deployment of self-driving cars, reshaping the landscape of urban transportation.
5. Congestion Pricing and Low Emission Zones:
Cities will increasingly embrace congestion pricing and low emission zones as part of their efforts to meet decarbonization goals. By applying a fair price to the externalities of higher-polluting vehicles, cities will play a pivotal role in incentivizing transitions to lower carbon modes, including public transit, micromobility, and electric vehicles.
Embracing Change
In summary, the key predictions for shared mobility and curb management in 2024 point towards a future where cities will accelerate the digitization of urban infrastructure. As the diversity of transportation options to move people and goods continues to evolve, cities too will evolve to more dynamically manage them for a mobility future that is efficient, sustainable, and accessible for all.