What about interaction between ICT and mobility?

Abstract

Facing growing amounts traffic and transportation in particular in the cities much hope has been developed for problem solving effects coming along with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) by lager parts of the population. ICT is supposed to increase personal mobility through "virtual mobility" while reducing at the same time needs for physical transportation: Central activities of the every day life like working, learning or shopping, are no longer inevitably bound to a movement from home to particular places but can be done at home. Expectations about potential effects were high. They have changed, however, with regard to both quantity and quality. Still in the 1990s researchers stated "that the use of ICT can lead to considerable effects of reduction and substitution". The potential of substitution of "virtual mobility" for physical transport - in particular through telework, e-commerce, e-learning and videoconferencing - was estimated to range from 8 to 33 %. Today modifications are made concerning the range and the characteristic of effects as well. Particular doubts have come up if "substitution" is the main effect of ICT use, as some empirical analyses have given hints about add-on and induction effects leading not to a re-duction but to an increase in transport in total. These modifications of former expectations, however, have never put in question the general assumption that ICT use and individual mobility are interactive.