Mobility is at the heart of Germany's economic and innovative strength, is the key to climate neutrality and is at the heart of everyday life for everyone in the country. Germany is a country of mobility. 5 points for strong, sustainable and good mobility for all. We in Germany and Europe are faced with the crucial task of helping to shape the future of mobility as a central building block for economic growth, social cohesion and climate protection. We have therefore formulated 5 key points for strong, sustainable and good mobility for all.
After all, Germany has the potential to become a global pioneer for sustainable mobility. This requires clear political decisions, well-founded strategies, rapid implementation and broad social support. This is how we strengthen Germany as a location for innovation, social cohesion and achieve our climate targets. What do we need for this? Our 5 demands at a glance:
Here you can download the full-length thesis paper as an online version: MCube thesis paper 5-point plan
1. promote sustainable mobility 1.1 Reduce CO₂ emissions: Public transport in the city, electromobility in the countryside
Measures:
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- Reduction of subsidies that increase CO2 emissions
- Pricing parking space at the European average
- Strengthen public transport and active mobility (attractive walking and cycling networks) with freed-up funds
- Prioritization of transport investments for sustainable mobility
- Attractively priced, innovative public transport tickets tailored to the needs of the population
1.2 Advancing electromobility: Harnessing innovative strength, securing jobs
Measures:
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- Targeted funding programs for the research and development of low-cost battery electric vehicles (BEV and commercial vehicles) and batteries
- Consistently exploit the advantages and potential of innovative circular economy approaches in the battery life cycle - consistently promote research and circular economy approaches - and thereby take on a leading role in Europe.
- Expansion of the charging infrastructure, especially for freight transport
- Promotion of bidirectional charging
- Increase attractiveness for frequent travelers (cabs, commuters)
1.3 Introduction of Mobility Coins as an incentive system for sustainable mobility
Measures:
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- Creation of a legal framework for the integration of mobility coins into the public mobility infrastructure.
- Promotion of projects that test the Mobility Coin system in different cities and regions or in different companies.
2. drive forward cross-industry mobility innovations
2.1 German Agency for Transfer and Innovation - Mobility (DATI Mobility): Platform for progress
Measures:
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- Founding of "DATI Mobility" as a central innovation center to support start-ups, companies, science, politics and society.
- Promotion of technologies, new business models and management methods for the development and establishment of innovative mobility solutions
- Support for the broad implementation of mobility solutions.
- Ethics review: Establishment of an ethics committee to review technologies and business models for their social and environmental impact.
- CitizenLabs: Active involvement of local communities in the development and testing of new mobility solutions.
2.2 Autonomous driving action plan: revolutionizing efficiency and comfort
Measures:
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- Focus on buses/shuttles in public transport - development of a clear target image to provide manufacturers with a framework for the development and production of vehicles
- Funding program of €100 million p.a. for open source development of a common software stack. (The Japanese government is spending this amount, Waymo as a subsidiary of Google is financing the development with USD 1 billion per year)
- Promotion of large pilot projects with at least 500 vehicles to test the use of technology and its impact on traffic.
- Sustainability criteria: Commitment that pilot projects for the introduction of autonomous vehicles demonstrably contribute to reducing traffic and emissions.
- Citizen participation forums: Establishment of regional forums in model regions to involve citizens in the planning, implementation and evaluation of autonomous mobility solutions
2.3 Real-world laboratories and regional innovation centers: testing the future in everyday life
Measures:
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- Model regions open to technology: Establishment of large-scale model regions in which various mobility technologies - from emission-free drives and autonomous vehicles to active mobility and public transport-centered solutions - are tested in parallel. The technologies are selected on a technology-neutral basis and are geared towards the specific needs of the respective population groups, for example through targeted citizen surveys and workshops.
- Responsible Innovation Labs: Establishment of innovation labs that accompany large-scale technological trials and ensure that social, environmental and ethical aspects are systematically integrated into planning, implementation and evaluation. These labs work closely with local communities and affected groups to develop solutions that are socially acceptable and sustainable in the long term.
- Regional innovation funds: Establishment of funding for rural and urban communities to develop local mobility concepts in real-world laboratories that are specifically tailored to the needs of the respective region.
- Participative data platform: Development of a digital platform that makes data from real-world laboratories transparent and enables citizens to view results, share their experiences and make suggestions for the further development of new mobility concepts.
3. more responsibility for local authorities in transport planning
3.1 More autonomy for municipalities in mobility planning
Measure:
Modernize road traffic regulations
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- Streamline the StVO: Less bureaucracy, more flexible speed limits
- Strengthen pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Enabling measures even without danger
- Optimize parking space use: Simpler restrictions for long-term parkers (e.g. motorhomes)
- Flexible parking fees: Municipalities should be able to control prices in a targeted manner
- Promoting sustainable mobility: Less car traffic, better alternatives
3.2 Strengthening the metropolitan regions for inter-municipal cooperation to implement integrated mobility strategies
Measure:
Strengthen regional transport planning
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- Legal & financial support for regional cooperation and innovation
- Link federal funding to mobility strategies: transport infrastructure funding only for integrated, regional planning (based on SUMP guidelines)
- Promote inter-municipal coordination: Joint negotiating partners based on the Swiss model (agglomeration program)
- Link urban land-use planning to transport connections: subsidies only for strategic location development
- Fair distribution of trade tax: Examination of regional equalization mechanisms
4. efficiently linking mobility and space
4.1 Rethinking spatial distribution in cities: designing liveable and productive cities
Measures:
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- Continuation and expansion of programs and funding initiatives for active mobility and public transport.
- Provision of targeted funding for municipalities that create space for sustainable forms of mobility.
- Promotion of cross-municipal projects for the integration of walking and cycling to improve urban quality of life.
- Greater consideration of positive economic, health and social effects in cost-benefit analyses and the further development of corresponding guidelines.
4.2 Expanding transport hubs, public transport-oriented urban development: sustainable mobility as an economic driver
Measures:
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- Promotion of public transport-oriented urban development projects through targeted investments in train stations and multimodal mobility stations.
- Integration of housing construction and mobility solutions in urban planning, supported by a national funding program.
- Activation of key players such as Deutsche Bahn to accelerate projects.
4.3 Reliable and long-term funding for public transport: ensuring mobility for all
Measures:
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- Establishment of a nationwide public transport infrastructure fund that offers municipalities and companies planning security; development of secure sources of funding for public transport.
- Linking subsidies to projects that expand local transport, increase the attractiveness of buses and trains and strengthen location development on the transport networks.
- Development of sustainable tariff models, building on the Deutschlandticket and tariff innovations that strengthen the extended environmental network (public transport + sharing mobility).
5. strengthen social and political framework conditions
5.1 Recognize mobility as a public good
Measures:
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- Creation of a Awareness The public and politicians are aware that the entire road and rail transportation system is a valuable and important asset, which we must protect not as a private company, but as a society. public good want to use.
- Promotion of sustainable mobility alternatives: Develop framework conditions that enable all people to have access to sustainable mobility options without restricting the mobility of others. Steering measures for the fair use of public resources: In order to reduce the burden on the transport system, targeted measures such as congestion charging, variable parking fees and graduated charges for road use should be introduced. These measures must be designed to be socially fair. The Digitization as an opportunity here to personalize mobility.
- Strengthening participatory processesEnsure that the definition and implementation of mobility as a public good takes place through co-creative processes in which citizens are actively involved at an early stage.
- Addressing resistance and power issuesAnalysis and public discussion of the conflicts of interest between private mobility providers and public interests in order to democratically legitimize the transformation towards sustainable mobility.
5.2 New success criteria for mobility projects: Quality of life, inclusion and the environment
Measures:
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- Introduction of new valuation indicators: Profitability, sustainability, fairness and quality of life.
- Dynamic adjustment of success indicators: Consideration of regional and social contexts and the needs of rural and urban areas.Acceleration of planning processesThe additional criteria must not prolong the processes, but actually speed them up, e.g. by streamlining and participatory decision-making, especially for smaller projects.
- Creation of a public evaluation dashboard: Citizens can interactively track the progress of mobility projects in real time and provide feedback on their social, environmental and economic impact.
- Creation of a mobility test seal: Development of a standardized certificate that distinguishes mobility projects that meet high standards of fairness, sustainability and social inclusion in order to promote transparency and trust.
We have the knowledge, now it's up to all of us. How can we do it? Help us spread the word about the 5 demands! The more people know about them, the faster we can drive forward the mobility transition together.
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