Tag Archive: Mobility

  1. Road Safety in The EU

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    Report on EU road safety from Member States’ pre- and post-pandemic key data

    Source: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission

    The European Commission has today published figures on road fatalities for 2022, a year in which approximately 20,600 deaths were reported. Although a 3% increase on 2021 figures, it remains 10% lower than the pre-pandemic 2019. Targets are still in place for the EU and UN who aim to halve the number of road deaths by 2030.

    Member State figures

    Traffic levels have recovered following the pandemic and this is considered an influence in the rise of 2022 road deaths, although they still remain lower than 2019. Having said this, Member States are reporting contrasting figures; Poland and Lithuania recorded a decrease over 30%, and Denmark a 23% decrease. Meanwhile, reported cases from Ireland, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain and the Netherlands have been either stable or have risen, although the data is not yet fully quantified.

    Sweden and Denmark represent the safest roads on which to travel, with fatality rates of 21 and 26 deaths per million respectively. In contrast, Romania and Bulgaria report 86 and 78 per million respectively, considerably more than the EU average of 46 deaths per million. This is largely unchanged from pre-pandemic levels.

    Groups and locations

    According to 2021 data from across the EU, 52% of road traffic fatalities occurred on rural roads, 39% in urban areas and 9% on motorways. Car passengers and drivers accounted for 45% of all road deaths, while pedestrians caught up in fatal accidents totalled 18%. Regarding two-wheeled modes of transport, motorcyclist and moped riders accounted for 19% and cyclists 9%. 78% of reported deaths were men.

    Findings were very different in urban areas, however, where those classed as vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and rider of powered two-wheelers – accounted for just under 70% of road fatalities. These fatalities largely involved cars and trucks and they serve as an indication that improvement needs to be made to further safeguard vulnerable road users.

    The Member States have welcomed a significant increase in cyclists on EU roads, but with it comes an increase in fatalities, perhaps owing to the lack of well-equipped infrastructure. In France, for example, preliminary 2022 cyclist road death figure show a 30% increase on 2019 statistics, a cause for concern.

    Focus

    In 2018, the EU set itself a target for a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2023.  This was strategized in the Commission’s Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety and EU road safety policy framework 2021-2030 which also detailed 2050 zero road death objectives.

    Road safety has been significant in recent EU mobility policy initiatives including the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the Commission proposal for a revision of the TEN-T regulation and the Urban Mobility Framework

    The EU is at the forefront of the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, proclaimed by the UN for 2021–2030 in August 2020.

    The Commission will soon present a range of proposals tackling road safety in a quest to make European roads safer still. More information can be found in the 2022 statistics report: Road safety statistics 2022 in more detail

    Final data for the 2022 figures is expected to be made available in autumn 2023. The current figures for most countries are based on preliminary data. Estimates for 2022 are for the entire year and all road types, categorising deaths that occur within 30 days as inclusive.  Germany and Greece (each 11 months), Belgium and Hungary (each 9 months), Spain (rural roads), Netherlands (partial data; also, police-registered fatalities are under-reported by around 10-15%), Portugal (fatalities within 24 hours), Switzerland (6 months) are the exception. There is currently no data for Liechtenstein for 2022.  

    Data for 2022 is compared with three other periods: 2021, 2019 (when the target of 50% fewer deaths was set) and an average number from 2017-19. The percentage changes in the table are based on the absolute number of fatalities, not the rate per million population. 

  2. Mobility City opens on February 20 under the presidency of His Majesty the King

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    Fundación Ibercaja opens the emblematic Zaha Hadid Bridge in Zaragoza, converted into a Mobility City, an international benchmark for sustainable mobility for the future

    Source: Mobility City

    The avant-garde space will house the Mobility Museum, the first technological mobility museum that will offer visitors experiences, discoveries, interactive activities, exhibitions and the most striking proposals.

    Fundación Ibercaja has announced this morning the inauguration of this timely project and the opening of the Zaha Hadid bridge, the work of the renowned Iraqi architect and the only bridge she designed in Europe. The initiative, promoted by the Foundation together with the support of the Government de Aragón, aims to become the main technological and informative platform around sustainable mobility, as well as its development and innovation at an international level. Starting in March, you can enjoy this space and discover the importance of mobility for the future of humanity.

    Mobility City responds to Fundación Ibercaja’s commitment to return the Zaha Hadid Bridge, built for the 2008 International Exposition, to the public. “We have transformed an architectural icon into a unique element in the world, combining the aesthetic with the intellectual. Mobility City is going to be a place to look to, a prescriptive environment that will be listened to internationally and that will contribute to elevating Zaragoza and Aragón to the forefront of the mobility sector”, indicates Amado Franco, President of Fundación Ibercaja. 

    A space that is returned to the citizens

    For the last 5 years, the entity has carried out meticulous work both to recondition the space, always hand in hand with Zaha Hadid’s architecture studio, and in collaboration with the Government of Aragon, with the goal of creating content and a unique, distinguished place open to the general public and society. 

    With a covered area of ​​2,700 m2, Mobility City has 4 different spaces: 

    • The future of mobility: publicly accessible, it will show the progress and potential in terms of products and services of associated companies. An exhibition of innovative proposals will star in the next steps of mobility.
    • Temporary exhibition: with a surface area of ​​1,100m2, it is an area to represent the mobility of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The first exhibition shows the evolution of the automotive world, from the unique pieces its early days, to futuristic concept cars, without forgetting the offer of the current market.
    • Space Experiences: an entertainment area that will directly impact visitors’ emotion and awareness, it will house interactive activities aimed at transmitting messages of responsibility and respect for the environment through dynamics that measure the power of their decisions in the future of cities and the environment that surrounds them.
    • Multifunction space: a public access area aimed at carrying out activities and events of all kinds, both at a professional and popular level, from family workshops, idustry presentations, to awards or presentations by associates.

    “We want to make Mobility City a multidisciplinary space. A place of conversation, dissemination, challenges and tests. An entity that empowers the awakening of a real mobility transition, expressing interest and solutions that invite society to embrace change. For this reason, we are working to create a complete content offer that generates interest at all levels in order to permeate the roadmap and the commitment to build an evolved and environmentally responsible mobile environment”, indicates José Luis Rodrigo, Director General Fundación Ibercaja.

    Mobility City, a project to lead the mobility of the future

    The Mobility City initiative has the support and drive of more than 50 collaborating entities both related to mobility (automotive, telecommunications, energy, logistics, etc.), as well as local and state institutions (research institutes, associations and universities).

    “Mobility City will be the agent that drives the conversation about the mobility of the future. A space from where strategies and plans will be pushed for the sake of sustainable urban development, a space for coexistence and dialogue to show what the cities of the future will be like, and the movement of people through them” indicates Jaime Armengol, Coordinator of Mobility City. The venue is “aimed at both the general public, with an experiential content that will raise awareness of the impact of personal decisions on the future of our environment, and the professional public, promoting a meeting place for experts in the sector. In short, Mobility City is a space to inspire, identify, solve, design and build the needs of mobility that is respectful of the environment in a connected and safe way”, continues Armengol.

    Zaragoza and Aragón: the epicenter of new mobility

    The city of Zaragoza presents many reasons why it is destined to be the international mobility capital of the future, and which make it the perfect setting for a project like Mobility City:

    • Strategic geographical position: crossing point for the itineraries that cross the peninsula from north to south. In addition, its proximity to the border with France favors connections with the rest of Europe.
    • Industrial activity: companies in the automotive sector, smart cities or logistics, bet on the Aragonese territory as a base of operations.
    • Center of tourist interest:  the infrastructure of the 2008 Zaragoza International Exposition adds to the traditional axes of interest in Zaragoza. The quality of its current tourist offer provides an incomparable framework for the development of the Mobility City project.

    “Aragon has a privileged location, highlighting its strong commitment to logistics and the establishment of companies related to automobiles, rail and other means of transport. In Zaragoza, in addition, there is a wide presence of projects on smart cities and a growing involvement in the future of personal mobility. It is, therefore, the place where a large number of interactions between cities and companies come together at a national and international level that foster the perfect germ of the international success of Mobility City”, concludes José Luis Rodrigo, Director General of Fundación Ibercaja.

    Ibercaja Foundation

    Fundación Ibercaja is a private non-profit organization resulting from the transformation of the Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Zaragoza, Aragón y Rioja (currently Ibercaja Banco), dedicated to the creation, implementation and promotion of social and cultural works to promote the development of people and companies generating actions to improve the territory. It is also committed to the sustainable mobility of the future, with Mobility City. Its values ​​and actions are aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, disseminating the SDGs and developing actions for their implementation. At Fundación Ibercaja, innovation is promoted in programs and activities, responding to new needs within its field of action with four values ​​as fundamental pillars: commitment, transparency, professionalism and dynamism.

    About Mobility City

    Mobility City is an initiative of Fundación Ibercaja supported by the Government of Aragon with headquarters in the Zaha Hadid Bridge. The work that the renowned Iraqi architect in the city of Zaragoza houses the Mobility Museum, the first museum on international mobility. Its objective is to become the world epicenter in terms of avant-garde, technology demonstration and learning, for the promotion of sustainable mobility, its development and innovation.

    The Mobility City initiative began in June 2018, supported by partners from different sectors related to mobility, including automobile, telecommunications, energy and infrastructure companies, as well as regional and state institutions, research institutes, associations and universities.

  3. Brussels’ Good Move Plan slashes traffic numbers and boosts cycling

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    Source: TheMayor.eu, D. Balgaranov

    The new traffic plan in the city’s centre has triggered a 19% drop in traffic while increasing cycling by an average of 18%.

    Good Move is the Regional Mobility Plan for the Brussels-Capital Region. Approved in 2020 by the Brussels Government, it defines the main policy guidelines in the field of mobility. This plan aims to improve the living environment of the people of Brussels, while supporting the demographic and economic development of the Brussels-Capital Region. In the city centre ‘pentagon’, the plan aims to change traffic flow through road closure and new one-way designation, thus leading to a less attractive driving experience.

    After six months, the first results of the scheme have been unveiled, though local authorities state that it is too early to draw broad and sweeping conclusions. Initial findings indicate that the central part of Brussels has a reduced traffic flow, with more walking space, pedestrians, cyclists, reduced noise and cleaner air when compared to measurement prior to the scheme. Total traffic has fallen by approximately 19%, while morning and evening rush-hour cycling has risen by an approximately 23% and 13% respectively.

    Alderman Dhondt was quoted in a press statement saying: “Many people have simply made a different mobility choice and switched to cycling or public transport, for example. The circulation plan thus contributes to the ultimate goal: a more pleasant city for everyone.”

  4. Autonomy Mobility Startup Challenge open for applicants

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    Sustainable mobility network will reward startups that are bringing new innovations and enabling transformation in the mobility sector

    Autonomy Paris is billed as the world’s first trade show for mobility solutions, and the 2023 edition will award 8 winners in the 5th edition of the Autonomy Mobility Startup Challenge (formerly known as Funding the Movement). The aim of the challenge is to recognise and celebrate startups that are bringing new innovations and enabling transformation in the mobility sector. It is open to startups less than 7 years old presenting projects, products, solutions, ideas, or prototypes focusing on any of 7 sub-sectors below.

    Applications are open from now until November 15th 2022, and from these, 21 startups will be pre-selected to pitch during Autonomy Paris (3 from each sub-sector). At the event, 8 winners will be chosen by a jury, composed of mobility investors, strategic mobility players, and partners of Autonomy, to receive a prize (1 from each sub-sector, and 1 overall winner from the Public).

    For all the details and to apply, visit the Autonomy Mobility Startup Challenge landing page.

    7 CATEGORIES
    1- Best Innovation in Smart Mobility Cities
    Re-engineering cities for the shift from motorist to mobilist: Expansion of public transport, e-charging, connectivity and new mobility infrastructure.

    2- Best Innovation in Mass Transit
    Backbone of Smart Cities Mobility complementing active and shared mobility to offer a realistic alternative to car ownership

    3- Best Innovation in Active Mobility
    Moving by human power with mechanical assistance in cities built for walking and cycling

    4- Best Innovation in EV Fleets
    Switching to electric vehicles, sustainably managing the charging of the fleet, optimising driving through route planning and telematics, thereby reducing road traffic.

    5- Best Innovation in Shared Mobility
    Transportation services that offer a range of vehicle types either concurrently or one after another.

    6- Best Innovation in Urban logistics
    Supply chain management that plans, transports, and tracks goods in the least energy intensive manner.

    7- Best Innovation in Autonomous Vehicles
    Driverless trains, trams, buses, shuttles and cars to reduce traffic and transport costs

  5. Next week: The first European micromobility meeting for PLEV users by non-profit organizations and user groups

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    This exciting event will take place on the last weekend of August, from Friday 26 August 2022 at 16:00 to Sunday 28 August 2022 at 16:00, in Brussels (Belgium), at the Tour and Taxis site, Avenue du Port 86 C, 1000 Brussels.

    The new meeting offers a place for discussions on micromobility, its assets, challenges, and developments for the future. The event is free to attend and open to all those interested.

    This event is the initiative of legal non-profit associations and user groups active on social networks and working for better European (micro-) mobility.

    Full details can be found via the event announcement on LinkedIn.

  6. Biking in Style: VanMoof takes over the streets of Paris during Fashion Week

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    All eyes were on Dutch e-bike brand and LEVA-EU member VanMoof, who brought a new, eye-catching mobility trend to this year’s Men’s Paris Fashion Week

    During Men’s Paris Fashion Week, VanMoof rallied an international crew to showcase the ease of city living on an e-bike during one of the busiest and most visible times of the year for the industry. The transformative potential of the e-bike took center stage during VanMoof’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week. Proposing that riding electric offers city dwellers the chance to reclaim their space, the city e-bike pioneers encouraged people to use their bikes as a tool to unlock the endless potential of a modern-day city.

    All eyes on VanMoof

    Paris Fashion Week has traditionally been a place where editors, stylists, tastemakers, and creatives from around the world come together for seven days to determine the direction of the fashion world. Those who flock to the yearly event have traditionally used cars to drive around the congested city in stuffy 30-degree heat, stuck in endless traffic jams and frustrated at the thought of being late to the next show.

    But this year showed that trend to be a thing of the past. This June for the first time, VanMoof supplied over 50 e-bikes to give visitors from all over the world the opportunity to travel around the streets of Paris without breaking a sweat.

    VanMoof’s current Parisian riders include designer Stephane Ashpool, Simon Jacquemus, and Sarah Andleman, each of whom are regularly sighted riding VanMoof e-bikes in the city. This season they were joined by international musicians, editors, and creatives including the likes of Skinny Macho, Aminé, Diplo, David Fischer from HighSnobiety, Dazed street-style photographers and many more.

    A bike-positive future for Paris

    The e-bike brand’s noticeable presence across shows, events, and parties in Paris comes at a crucial time, as attitudes towards biking in the city are undergoing a change. The city municipality is actively encouraging biking, having introduced multiple incentives to make choosing an e-bike more accessible – an act that makes it clear that city legislators worldwide are recognizing the fundamental need to accelerate efforts to both facilitate and encourage biking in urban areas. As part of the city’s Bike Plan, 180,000 additional bike parking spots will be added to the current total of 60,000 – more than tripling the city’s bike racks. And between now and 2026, Parisian riders will gain 180 km of long-awaited and permanent bike lanes.

    Read the full press release and see the custom VanMoof e-bikes here.

  7. Keep it simple – the new Pendix eDrive IN

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    At the last IAA mobility, LEVA-EU member Pendix, market leader for retrofit drives in the bicycle market, presented a revolutionary drive that is to be used mainly in the B2B sector for cargo bikes. This gives Pendix an additional pillar for the retrofit drive, because the Pendix eDrive IN creates new possibilities for bicycle construction, but is installed directly by the OEMs. There are already numerous interested parties and pre-orders, although the drive has not yet been delivered. Christian Hennig was in charge of the development. We spoke to him about the drive.

    The Pendix eDrive IN is available as an innovative serial hybrid variant and in combination with a chain drive, i.e. a mechanical drive train. How did the idea come about?

    The market for cargo bikes is growing and growing, the bikes are also becoming more and more popular in the professional sector. We have therefore thought about how we can meet the requirements for an electric drive specifically for this application. Both privately and commercially used bikes should focus on the necessary performance in order to be able to move heavy loads safely and comfortably. Of course, reliability also plays an important role, especially if a cargo bike is to be used as a replacement for a car.

    The new drive system caused quite a stir at the IAA in Munich. Why?

    The serial hybrid system in particular is better suited for cargo bikes by one decisive characteristic. By using a pedal generator, all mechanical wear parts of the conventional drive train such as chains, chainrings, or sprockets are eliminated. This increases reliability and significantly reduces maintenance costs. In addition, the entire space between the wheels can be used.

    How does the Pendix serial hybrid version work?

    The system basically consists of a pedal generator, one or more drive motors, and a battery. The pedal generator is located on the bottom bracket, which converts the mechanical pedaling movement of the rider into electrical energy and then transmits this directly to the drive motors in the rear wheels. The generator can generate torque to give the rider a natural pedaling feel, very similar to that of a conventional bike. In addition to the driver’s performance, additional energy is supplied to the drive motors from a battery in order to ensure the necessary performance for moving a cargo bike safely and comfortably.

    Where do you see potential uses for the new drive?

    I see possible uses in cargo bikes where it is important to use the available space in the best possible way. In newer vehicle concepts, in particular, one often sees a very elaborately designed drive train with up to four chains connected in series in order to mechanically transmit the power from the driver to the rear wheels. This is exactly where there is a great advantage since the installation space can be used. In addition, many wearing parts of the mechanical power transmission are eliminated, which often cause unwanted downtimes of the bicycle, especially with intensively used cargo bikes.

    There are already other manufacturers who also offer a serial hybrid drive. Are there any significant differences in the functions? What are the advantages of your product?

    In principle, the functionality and range of functions of the various systems are quite similar. Our previous Pendix eDrive system was always developed according to the principle of “keep it simple”, and we are continuing this with this product. Generator and drive motors are based on the same engine concept and have been optimized in terms of function. Here, too, we offer a system in which the components come from a single source and are perfectly matched to each other. Functions such as gear shifting or reversing can be solved by software in the future. Of course, our proven Pendix.bike PRO app will also be used with this product in order to be able to provide the rider with useful information, customization of the riding profile and firmware updates over-the-air, and at the same time to support the service partner with diagnosis.

    At the end of the day, is the vehicle actually still a pedelec?

    This question can be answered with a clear yes. After years of back and forth, the European Commission decided at the beginning of 2022 that bicycles with a serial-hybrid drive system are on an equal footing with conventional pedelecs with a mechanical drive train. In order to maintain technology neutrality, it doesn’t matter whether the bike is equipped with a mechanical chain or not – as long as the drive only provides support and the rider also pedals. For us, our new drive was the next step in bicycle evolution right from the development stage. That’s why we’re happy to now also have support from Brussels.

  8. The 10 minute city – optimising urban spatial planning

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    Source: fietsberaad

    The ten minute city is a key research theme for the Knowlege Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM) this year.

    A ‘ten-minute city’ refers to the spatial planning concept in which daily services and amenities can be reached from any home within a ten-minute walk or bike ride. While the concept of mixing functions in urban areas is well-established, there has been additional interest in the theory after a fifteen-minute variant was recently opted for in Paris. KiM aims to further expand the understanding of this concept in 2022, exploring the concept from a mobility perspective.

    One factor to consider is that a large part of new residential construction is centralized in urban areas, promoting the use of public transportation and bicycles and impeding that of cars. When taking into account the growing popularity of e-bikes, the 10-minute city concept transforms once again as commuters boast an expanded travel distance – with this in mind there are sure to be extensive findings as KiM develops this research theme through 2022.

  9. Riga becomes the testing ground for six mobility innovations

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    Scheme aims to further develop innovative mobility prototypes in real-time

    Source: Themayor.eu

    The Mobility Incubator Program has recently been launched in the Latvian capital, Riga. Organized by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the scheme aims to further develop innovative mobility prototypes in real-time. If successful following this initial stage the prototypes will act to raise the living standard of city residents and serve as an attractive prospect for potential investors, being implemented on a wider scale.

    The teams and their prototypes:

    The projects were developed over a period of 10 weeks following the 48-hour mobility hackathon in April. The six pilot projects are as follows:

    • The Mikropoint team – A new mobility point in Zemitana Square, combining a shed for electric scooters and bicycles, a mini bicycle workshop, and bench. Aims to increase the mobility network for environmentally friendly vehicles.
    • The getUgo team – Remote control of autonomous vehicles, machines and other devices with a teleoperation software and hardware platform.
    • The E-Stop team – Offers a solution for storing and charging e-scooters within the Alfa shopping centre.
    • The electrify team – Promotion of electromobility by offering electric minibuses for passenger transport (still under development).
    • The “Velorūme” team – Offers bicycle storage the size of a single parking spot.
    • The Simplecharge – Encouraging the use of street lighting poles to charge electric vehicles.
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