What is the project Dynaxibility4CE about?

In the project we will develop strategies and tools to support transport policy and traffic planners in integrating new mobility services into existing systems. The challenge with new services and innovations is that classical boundaries, known boundaries within a mobility ecosystem, become blurred. This blurring of boundaries can be countered, for example, by dynamic and flexible planning. We want to support the effective integration and development of necessary approaches. The goal is to support the implementation of a decarbonized mobility system in so-called "Functional Urban Areas".

What are Functional Urban Areas?

A functional urban area is defined as a densely populated city and a less densely populated surrounding area, the commuter zone, whose labor market is strongly integrated into the city. The two areas - the city and the commuter zone - are the "Functional Urban Areas". The approach aims to create a harmonized definition of cities and their spheres of influence for international comparisons and for the analysis of issues related to urban development.

What are the expectations of the project?

Traffic planning should be changed or improved in the following three main areas: CCAM (= automated, cooperative and connected driving), Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (= access management) in cities and urban regions. In these areas, in addition to pilot tests, strategies and tools for traffic authorities will be developed and refined to strengthen the handling of new trends and the planning capacity itself. In a further step, the results of this process will be made available to traffic planners in cities and urban regions to support them in their work.

What are the biggest challenges?

Many innovations happen very quickly and are often used in isolation from the overall mobility ecosystem. These are pushing into the cities from the private market or come from the public sector itself, such as sharing offers initiated by the cities themselves. Cities and city regions are faced with the challenge of working with new actors, but also of finding aspects of new mobility technologies and services that are suitable and helpful for their own transport systems. In order to close existing gaps and make the system more effective and efficient, these must be included in strategic planning.

Why is it important to address cities and city regions directly?

The majority of mobility innovations happen in cities, which is why this is an ideal starting point. At the same time, the population is increasing in the areas surrounding the cities, and so are the traffic and emission problems. Cityregional cooperations already exist in some cases, but Austria does not have a separate level of governance for this, i.e. there are no fixed structures or procedures for working out appropriate solutions.

What activities are planned within the project?

There are seven pilot city regions with different focuses: Leipzig (CAD), Stuttgart (CAD), Graz (CAD/MaaS), Budapest (MaaS), Parma (UVAR), Koprivnica (MaaS) and Krakow (UVAR). In these regions pilot activities will be defined, tested, implemented and their effectiveness will be evaluated. To contribute to emission reduction and air quality improvement, the SUMP concept* (Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan) will be further developed with regard to the thematic priorities CCAM, MaaS and UVAR.

What role does AustriaTech play in the project?

AustriaTech supports the further development of the topic-relevant SUMP with a focus on Mobility as a Service and automated, cooperative and connected driving. We can bring in a lot from our project activities, but also as a contact point for automated driving. But we can also learn a lot from the pilot activities of the project partners. In addition, the foundation of a platform for Sustainable Urban Planning is planned for Austria, as it already exists in other countries. An important element of this is to support the meaningful embedding of new mobility services and technologies in cities and urban regions and to transfer the findings from the project.

Thank you very much for the interview!

*SUMP is a European platform, funded by the European Commission, which promotes the transition to competitive and resource-efficient mobility systems in European cities.

„Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning is a strategic and integrated approach to urban transport. It contributes to improved accessibility and quality of life through a shift towards sustainable mobility. SUMP supports fact-based decision making guided by a long-term vision. This requires a thorough assessment of the status quo and future trends, a common vision with strategic objectives, and an integrated set of measures from different policy areas, including regulation, promotion, financing, technology and infrastructure. The SUMP concept places particular emphasis on the involvement of citizens and stakeholders and on the cooperation among actors in public administrations and with the private sector.“

Source: Rupprecht Consult (HerausgeberIn), 2020. Decision makers summary for Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. 

The complete Summary for decision makers can be found on eltis.org