The Big Picture

Exploring the trends shaping our modern cities through a curated collection of articles and op-eds

Mobility as a Service: Will It Give Greater Sustainability to Our Cities?

Nov 20, 2018

Cities are the powerhouses of nations delivering agglomeration economies that boost productivity. As cities grow and become more spatially dispersed, travel becomes a necessity which, if left unchecked, leads to congestion which eventually weakens the benefits of agglomeration (Graham, 2007). The cycle of growth – congestion – dealing with congestion, is unlikely to be cured…

India’s Emerging Mobility-as-a-Service Landscape

Nov 19, 2018

Led by the emergence of mega-trends (electrification, shared and connectivity), India is undergoing a massive transformation in mobility. Enabled through disruptive technologies, new business models/solutions have started to emerge across automotive value chain – opening up ample opportunities to explore in Mobility as a Service (MaaS). With increasing internet access and smartphone penetration in India,…

Could Melbourne Become a Global Leader in Mobility as a Service?

Nov 19, 2018

When people think of driverless cars or mobility as a service (MaaS) – places like Arizona or Helsinki probably spring to mind – cities that have so far lead the way on new vehicle technology. But we (Infrastructure Victoria) think Melbourne – a city of 5 million with a solid public transport offering and high…

Making MaaS Happen

Nov 19, 2018

Traditional ways of thinking about mobility are increasingly being challenged. Mobility is now a complex web of decision-making for consumers. Mobility as a Service (MaaS) attempts to respond to these changes by developing transport solutions that are customer-centric. What is MaaS? MaaS is more than an “app.” MaaS is a personal mobility option that puts…

The Value of Mobility-As-A Service for Cities

Nov 19, 2018

What is MaaS The concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (“MaaS”) seeks to integrate various physical transportation services (i.e. bikeshare, public transit, car-share, ride-hailing, etc.) with a single or multiple digital platform(s) that can plan and manage the entire user journey. It presents a new approach to how transportation services are provided and used. MaaS is intended to…

Towards an Ecosystem of Integrated Urban Mobility Services

Nov 19, 2018

Urban transport plays a fundamental role in meeting the objectives of economic competitiveness, social cohesion and sustainable growth. An efficient transportation system must be the heart of every successful city. The fixation with building and expanding transport infrastructure over long distances will not solve all the challenges related to urban transport. Instead, travel times increase,…

Infographics

Nov 19, 2018

Cities are seeing an unprecedented shift away from personally-owned transport towards mobility solutions consumed as a service – Mobility as a Service (MaaS). Download PDF here  

Editorial Commentary

Nov 06, 2018

Over the past few years, definitions of the term “smart cities” have proliferated. There are now hundreds of interpretations for what constitutes a smart city and, as a result, the concept has never been more widely applied… or more contested. While a unified theory of the smart city might not be forthcoming anytime soon, this…

Better Cities. Today.

Oct 27, 2018

There is a lot to like about the idea of a smart city, and a lot left to be desired by the term itself. The idea of being able to accomplish more with less is something that just about everyone in a city can get behind, and smart city technologies are making this pursuit easier…

Hull Takes on Smart City Challenge

Oct 25, 2018

Local authorities and public sector bodies have a major role to play in the development of smart cities and in creating a digitally connected environment. Labelled as the fourth industrial revolution, smart cities aims to improve the quality of life for its residents, businesses and visitors. However this is a relatively new concept for a…

A Tale of Smart Cities in the UK

Oct 25, 2018

The challenge to design the smartest cities has been embraced in most larger UK cities but less is known about how to evaluate and measure the “smartness” and desirability of each approach. Smart city projects and programmes are emerging across cities, offering solutions for contemporary challenges facing cities associated with population and urbanisation pressures, and…