Who said reshaping mobility would be easy?

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to walk around the Smart City Congress hosted in Barcelona and see how many companies and startups from very diverse sectors were introducing disruptive ideas, as SEAT was attending the congress too. Just a few years ago it would have seemed strange for a great automotive company to attend this kind of event instead of opting for the classic motor shows. But not anymore.

The automotive industry has always played an important role in mobility, and as it is being reshaped, we still have something to say. Cities are evolving due to the great challenges they are facing, and have just started getting ready to satisfy citizens’ growing change of habits. Future depends on what we decide today. It might sound obvious, but while everybody talks about future solutions for future scenarios, there are lots of opportunities that can be implemented today.

If we take a look at the figures, we see that there has been an increase in the average age of a person purchasing their first car, from 33 to 38 years old, as well as a 20% decrease in the intention of getting a driving license by people under 30 years old. The logic behind these two facts is simple: what is the point of owning a car in cities full of traffic while 80% of the rides are below 5 km?

Mobility, especially by car, has always been the essence of freedom. It shapes our way of life and is key for prosperity. Considering that there are currently 28 megacities in the world, that will be 41 by the year 2030, and the fact that young generations are more practical, more dynamic, more connected and more concerned about sustainability than ever, we have to think about how we will address very specific mobility needs.

We have the goal of being more than just a carmaker and becoming a mobility services provider, as we are shifting from hardware to software too. Our duty as mobility players is to build responsible, sustainable cities for young generations. Cities in which new mobility solutions coexist with public transport. Cities where collaboration becomes something common. Cities that are prepared for change, because the future is just around the corner. That is the reason why we introduced a new strategic business unit at the Smart City Congress, which will push the company’s future urban mobility strategy. The venue was not a coincidence as we want to contribute to the rethinking of how mobility interacts with urban areas.

It is obvious that cities will need to be reshaped in order to make room for new mobility services, which is why we cannot take a step forward without the collaboration among all parties involved. This new mobility ecosystem requires understanding and dialogue between the Public Administration and other key players such as tech and energy companies, start-ups and other stakeholders who are all revolutionising mobility together.

The trend towards micromobility and on-demand services is now truly a part of the everyday commuter. But in order to establish greater accessibility and better safety standards for citizens, it is essential that mobility companies work in collaboration with public institutions and not against them. We have to become allies. We can develop vehicles that are specially engineered for carsharing, such as the SEAT Minimó concept, but we need support from city councils to make it a reality. Only by setting up a cooperative ecosystem with the aim of sharing knowledge and ideas, we will be able to bring game-changing solutions that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

Who said reshaping mobility would be easy?