Hypermotion 2018: VISION mobility Think Tank on the topic "Space in the City"

The motto had an exclamation mark: "Make way! How new mobility concepts can give back space in city centers." This topic was discussed by Andreas Sujata, Head of Sales Pedelec at Streetscooter, Patrick Seidel, Head of Product Development at Schaeffler Biohybrid, Ralf Sygusch, Head of Urban Development for the city of Wolfsburg, and Dr. Harald Hempel, Head of Innovation and Research at Dako.

Thus, three different parties took part in the Think Tank: Sujata and Seidel presented products for city traffic: Both the Streetscooter range and Schaeffler's Biohybrid utilize muscle power and/or electricity to be space-saving and cost-effective on the road. Since DHL Deutsche Post are both customers and manufacturers of Streetscooters, Sujata was able to present figures. Currently, DHL alone has over 10,000 electric vehicles and 25,000 pedelecs in use. These save a lot of money and space: Street Scooter Work and Work XL are particularly characterized by much lower maintenance and service costs. The pedelecs, on the other hand, also save considerable traffic space. This is also the aim of Schaeffler's Bio-Hybrid, which will be available in both a pure passenger and a cargo variant. Biohybrids will also score with significantly lower costs and space requirements than conventional cars or vans.

With this, Ralf Sygusch can present the topic from a city's perspective. He emphasizes the point that a city always has a "responsibility" for its residents and businesses and must therefore calculate differently. To account for this, the city of Wolfsburg has already initiated numerous projects, including several in partnership with Wolfsburg AG, a company in which both the city and the Volkswagen Group each hold a 50% stake.

Lastly, after the vehicles themselves and the infrastructure in the form of a city, there remains the topic of digitization or software. Here, Hempel from his practice at Dako shows various sheets that illustrate how traffic and goods flows in the city swell and practically clog it. While this cannot be directly solved by software alone, it can be alleviated.

Which then still leads to the ultimate question: How do we create more space in cities? Hempel's answer to this is disarmingly honest – he actually has no answer for it, because: As long as traffic and goods flows continue to grow, space in city centers can primarily only be reclaimed through radical restrictions – namely driving bans and restricted zones. All other instruments would only alleviate or mitigate the flood of mobility, but not dissolve it. Sygusch argues similarly cautiously: Where there is space in Wolfsburg and new areas are designated, it is not a problem to consider new mobility and other space concepts here, but as soon as it comes to "existing areas", it is very difficult to radically rebuild them. Especially since city planning must anticipate lead times of five to ten years – a timeframe in which many current technical approaches would already be outdated. Sygusch also distances himself from general studies, since every city must test very individual concepts for itself – although he does fundamentally believe it is possible to create more space and quality of life for citizens in city centers.

Where Sujata and Seidel agree: Their concepts aim specifically at using less traffic space and reducing noise, emissions, and costs – the first two even to zero.

What does that mean?

In this context, they also encourage new traffic concepts with "pedelec lanes" or small urban distribution centers to reduce traffic. However, what is necessary, and on this all speakers agree – is a comprehensive approach consisting of new products, smart control, and correspondingly adjusted infrastructure concepts – which in sum demands an integrated overall concept from all parties involved.