Smart mobility – for all? Gender issues in the context of new mobility concepts

Kurzfassung

“Smart mobility” has become a prominent issue in recent conversations about the “future of transport”. Typically the focus is on urban transport where more and more new options to move through the city are provided. Together these options operate under the name of “new mobility concepts” suggesting that they will deliver new services to be highly flexible on one’s way – wherever the destination and whatever the time of the day. Interestingly, new mobility concepts are used above all by men – young adults of the age group up to 35y, living in 1 to 2 person-households, above average formal education, above average income. It is often suggested that women are less interested in (mobility) innovation in general, as it belongs to the more technical context of transportation. The talk will investigate how the options provided in the framework of new mobility concepts apply to the needs of different population groups thus producing specific gender gaps. It will also discuss its consequences for travel mode choice in the urban context.