Our cities are buzzing, animated by a silent yet revolutionary transformation: smart mobility. We’re talking about a truly integrated approach to urban mobility, which emerged in the early 2000s alongside the concept of the smart city. The goal is to make transportation systems more efficient, ecological, and perfectly in sync with new digital technologies.
The impact of this evolution is tangible and constantly growing. According to the latest research from the Connected Car & Mobility Observatory at the Politecnico di Milano’s School of Management, the Italian market for smart mobility reached €2.9 billion in 2023, marking a significant 17% increase compared to the previous year.
What defines smart mobility?
Smart mobility goes far beyond merely introducing electric vehicles or bike lanes. It’s a complex ecosystem that intertwines technology, infrastructure, innovative mobility solutions, and, naturally, people. Its ultimate goal is to offer a seamless and uninterrupted travel experience characterized by flexibility, integration, safety, convenience, and on-demand accessibility.
A Future Envisioned for More Livable Cities
Smart mobility is built on a set of key principles guiding its evolution: flexibility in offering multiple transport options, efficiency in reaching a destination, the integration of seamless journeys across different modes, the adoption of clean technologies, safety to reduce accidents, accessibility, and social benefits to contribute to a better quality of urban life.
One of the main drivers behind the implementation of smart mobility is the urgent need to combat traffic and pollution, problems that plague metropolises worldwide, causing significant economic damage (over €63 billion annually globally). Smart mobility addresses these challenges through various innovative solutions, including sharing mobility, micromobility, and the use of electric vehicles.
Italy’s Commitment and Regulatory Challenges
The smart mobility market in Italy reached €2.9 billion in 2023, driven by 16.9 million connected cars. At an administrative level, over 83% of Italian municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants consider smart mobility fundamental. In fact, in 2023, 53% of these municipalities launched projects focusing on electric mobility (88%) and sharing mobility (72%). Furthermore, funding allocated to trials in autonomous driving (31%) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS, 16%) demonstrates how the livability of urban mobility is becoming an important area for investment.
The concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) transforms mobility from a series of individual trips into a comprehensive service, available via subscriptions or “pay-per-use” models. Projects like “MaaS4Italy,” supported by €16 million from the PNRR in 2023, aim to expand the use of integrated mobility in Italian metropolises. Bologna, for example, allows users to plan, book, and pay for buses, trains, taxis, bikes, and e-scooters all through a single app.
Smart Mobility and Smart Cities
The concept of a smart city is intrinsically linked to smart mobility. An “intelligent” city embraces innovation and the digital revolution, offering cutting-edge infrastructure and mobility solutions. Companies like InfoBlu, the Italian leader in infomobility, exemplify this by providing solutions for traffic management and traveler information. Sustainable mobility, through green mobility, aims to promote electric cars, bike lanes, and reduce traffic and pollution to improve quality of life and make mobility accessible to everyone.
Mobile payment also plays a crucial role in smart mobility. The digitalization of tickets and payments is already making access to public transport, parking, car sharing, and electric vehicle charging services more efficient. The feature set to revolutionize the sector in the next five years is the advent of “pay as you travel” based on location.
