Author

Dr. JaeHak Oh  | President, Korea Transport Institute

Executive Summary

1. Concept of Mobility Transformation

• Mobility Definition: The ability or service enabling free or easy movements of people and goods.
• Evolution of Transport Systems:
  • 17th-18th Century: Canal systems.
  • 18th-19th Century: Rail networks.
  • 19th-20th Century: Automotive roads.
  • 20th-21st Century: Air transport.
  • Post-21st Century: Future modes yet to emerge.
• Challenges to Resolve Transport Externalities
  • Congestion Costs: Social and economic impacts of traffic jams.
  • Accident Costs: Physical, mental, and economic toll.
  • Environmental Costs: Noise, pollution, and resource depletion.

2. Mobility Megatrends

The 2020s would be a “decisive decade for future mobility”. Traditional transportation policies like infrastructure development, responding to motorization and public transport oriented efforts are to be transformed by accelerating factors:

• Climate Change Crisis:
  • Reduce GHGs by 40% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
• 4th Industrial Revolution:
  • Hyper-intelligence and hyper-connectivity.
  • Mitigation of traditional externalities (congestion, accidents).
• Demographic Structural Change:
  • Transport Demand will be decreased accordingly following low birth rate and population decrease

             Automation is to be accerated by grwoing transport labour shrtatge in transport sector

• Economic & Behavioral Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic:
  • Surge in personal mobility.
  • Expansion of delivery and logistics demand.

3. Three Revolutions & Their Impacts

• Revolutions:
  1. Automation: Integration of AI, IoT, and autonomous systems.
  2. Electrification: Transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and reduction of emissions.
  3. Sharing: Promotion of shared transport solutions.

These revolutions might help solving traditional transport problems such congestion, accident and emmision.

Mobility will be safer, more accessible with less personal and infrastructure cost, less congestion, less energy use and more urban space and jobs.

4. Goals & Strategies for Mobility Transformation

• Key Issues:
  • Automotive Industry
    • Need for technological competitiveness in autonomous and electric vehicles.
    • Decline of ICE (internal combustion engine) industries, requiring adaptation.
    • Decrease in the traditional workforce and demand for a new, skilled workforce.
  • Infrastructure 
    • Importance of a national plan for digitalizing infrastructure.
    • Financing challenges for implementing 3D digital maps, Cooperative ITS (C-ITS), control centers, and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) systems.
    • Development of drone airspace control systems.
  • Mobility Services
    • Addressing gaps in mobility services between urban and rural areas.
    • Rise of platform-based enterprises disrupting traditional industries (e.g., taxis).
  • Policy System and R&D:
    • Enhancing the social safety net and employment support amid industry transformation.
    • Reforming regulations to accommodate new mobility models.
    • Assigning clear roles to government, industry, universities, and research institutes.
    • Strengthening the role of national R&D in driving innovation.
    • Balancing rapid technological advancements with public compliance and safety concerns.
    • These issues underscore the need for a holistic approach to ensure a smooth, inclusive transition in the mobility sector.
• Goals:
  • Achieve zero emissions, zero casualties, and affordable mobility.
  • Emphasize innovation, economic efficiency, and social agreement
• Strategies:
  • Establishment of National Strategy for Market-Based Transformation Ecosystem
  • The 3 Revolutions should be processed in a form of simultaneous transformation
  • Successful transformation should be based on social agreement between stakeholders
  • Implementation of demonstration projects for the creation of mobility services experienced by the public
  • Social security net and training of new workforces should be put into a top priority

5. Global Cooperation

• Needs for Global Cooperations

• Automation: Regulation framework on safety and security & technology standardization.
• Electrification: Responding to climate change crisis globally minimizing export of used ICE vehicles to developing countries
• Sharing: Reducing digital divide in age, gender, and economic class.

• Better Cooperation Between Global North and Global South:
• Appropriate technologies for mobility in developing countries.
• Minimizing transfer of GHG emissions from developed countries to developing countries.
• Roles of Multilateral Institutions & Financing:
• Fostering the role of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, WB, ADB, IMF, etc.
• More financial contribution from developed countries.