Digitalisation and mobility: Smart and sustainable transport in urban agglomerations (DIGMOB)

The project has investigated how digitization can contribute to the transport system for people and goods in urban areas becoming more efficient and environmentally friendly. The aim has been to develop knowledge about how digitization of the transport system can lead to economic, environmental and social improvements in line with the concept of sustainability. The project has contributed to new knowledge through interdisciplinary research collaboration and to practical experiences through collaboration with transport operators and the business community. Activities and results In WP2, a literature study has been carried out which has resulted in a state of knowledge about digitization processes in transport (TØI report 1804/2021). Based on the same literature study, the project has also held a webinar on trends in the transport system. Within freight transport (WP2 and WP4), we have established a unique data set that combines data from business actors with register data. This has been used to develop new methodologies for more efficient logistics in the Oslo area based on digital solutions (AI/GIS). The data and methodology were presented at the ICAPAI conference and published in a scientific article in the IEEE. In addition, an article has been accepted in CCIS-Springer. A paper was also presented at the 4th INTAP Conference. In WP3, four scientific articles / book chapters have been published. In addition, professional dissemination has been conducted through small articles and presentations at seminars/conferences. The experience from the project is that digitization has been particularly relevant for how the passenger transport sector has handled the pandemic. In passenger transport (WP2 and WP3), "mobility as a service" (MaaS) is central. The project has made a theoretical review of MaaS and what this means for mobility, and in this connection a number of lectures have been given and papers prepared. MaaS and other forms of interaction (especially car sharing) based on digital platforms also provide accessibility for different road user groups. The mobility of the elderly in particular has been investigated. It has been discovered that there is a gap between the development/implementation of smart mobility and the use of smart mobility solutions: [i] older adults are not recognized as an important customer segment in today's digital mobility market, [ii] older adults have unmet needs and some specific requirements from the system, [iii] the political agenda "Active Aging" must include the issue of digital, smart mobility for older adults, and, [iv] given the growing population of older adults, their car-based travel habits must move to either public transport or e-scooters, bicycle, car sharing, etc., to achieve environmental goals. In WP4, a literature study on e-commerce in Norway has been conducted with interviews (231) and focus groups. The work is published in a scientific article in Cities where it is pointed out that digitization provides good conditions for increased e-commerce, and implemented in the right way it can optimize transport and reduce climate footprint, but that digitization in itself does not reduce the environmental impact. A report to the Technology Council, the aforementioned TØI report and the articles based on AI related to freight traffic are also anchored in this work package. A paper «Norwegian last-mile industries - Structural development during Europeanisation and Digitization » was prepared, but due to the pandemic, the relevance is limited, and the project had to put this paper aside. In WP5, we have, together with another NFR project (DIGIN), carried out a digital gathering of players in freight transport in the spring of 2020 on digitization strategies. A web survey for the business community conducted March to September 2020. The survey charts the use of digital tools, and what opportunities and challenges digitization of transport services entails in the future. Implementation was made difficult due to covid-19; partly because the companies downgraded this type of activity (low response rate) and partly because the framework for responding was so different from a normal situation (challenging validity and reliability). However, the project received a number of relevant answers and plans to publish work based on this data after the project period. Aarhaug continues his plan for the doctoral thesis (at the TIK center at UiO) and plans delivery in the spring of 2022. The dissertation shows that digitization and the green shift can exist independently of each other. Digitization means an increased opportunity for solutions that can contribute to the green shift. However, there is no causal effect that compels this. Similarly, it is possible to implement the green shift without digitization, but it entails a greater disadvantage for the population than if one makes use of digitization.

Som forskerprosjekt er effekten og virkningen først og fremst etablering og spredning av ny kunnskap. Målgruppen er akademia og andre fagmiljøer, noe som vises ved vektleggingen av vitenskapelige artikler/rapporter, som gir et bedre fundament for videre forskning og utvikling. Prosjektet har imidlertid også en bredere kunnskapsspredning gjennom kronikker, foredrag o.l.. Bedre kunnskap om muligheter og utfordringer ved digitalisering innen mobilitet gir direkte positive effekter knyttet til planlegging av transport (både personer og gods) mht effektivitet og miljøavtrykk. Involverte brukeraktører (kollektivselskap og godstransportører) vil ha spesielt nytte av dette, men gjennom kunnskapsspredning vil også andre tilsvarende aktører vil dra nytte av bedre kunnskapsgrunnlag. Prosjektet har økt forskningssamarbeidet mellom ulike miljøer. Både internasjonalt (No/It/Sv) og faglig: SINTEF Digital (AI), TØI (samf.vitenskap), RISE (IT/logistikk) og Universitetet i Roma (økonomi/logistikk).

This project will examine and provide solutions to effectively link digitalisation and transport innovations for passenger and freight mobility in urban agglomerations in order to obtain a more efficient and sustainable urban transport system.Digitalisation of transport systems makes it easier to integrate services to empower customers and it enable operators to deliver services more safely and efficiently. The project will alalyse how dominant trends of urbanisation, emerging technologies/digitalisation and the sharing economy both necessitate andenable changes in urban transport systems. Urban areas are dependent on an efficient and environmental-friendly freight transport system and a corresponding system for individual mobility for catering to travels related to work, service, social, school and leisure purposes. However, both freight transport and individual mobility in urban areas are increasingly reaching its limits since the process of urbanisation has caused continuous rising demand for urban mobility systems. The project will demonstrate how digitalisation of the transport system may result in significant improvements both in economic, environmental and social terms. The application of information and communication technologies (ICT) and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) can make transport safer, more efficient and more sustainable for all modes of passenger and freight transport. Moreover, the integration of emerging technologies can create new services and are key to support jobs and growth in the transport sector. The project will contribute to new scientific knowledge and practical experiences by use of an urban mobility lab for data driven policy developments. The project has access to a unique combination of data for passenger mobility and freight transport and, to a computational infrastructures and expertise in computational sciences & data analytics which is combined with knowledge in transport economics.