Future of urban mobility

Summary

Urban mobility is undergoing a structural shift as cities rethink how people and goods move through increasingly congested environments. Multi-modal transport and shared mobility models are emerging as central themes in this transformation, challenging assumptions built around private vehicle ownership. Transit systems, micromobility options, and shared fleets are being woven together to serve commuters more efficiently than any single mode could on its own.

A central question here is generational: will younger cohorts, particularly Gen Z, continue the decades-long pattern of car ownership, or will they gravitate toward on-demand and subscription-based mobility services instead? Shifting attitudes toward vehicle ownership, sustainability, and convenience are reshaping demand curves for automakers, ride-hailing platforms, and public transit authorities alike. Urban planners and mobility operators are having to reconsider infrastructure investment, from EV charging networks to dedicated lanes for micromobility, in response to these changing preferences.

Rishi Patil brings a practitioner's perspective to these questions, examining how cities can adapt today's transport networks to meet tomorrow's demand without simply expanding road capacity. Integration between public and private mobility providers, the role of data and connectivity in orchestrating multi-modal journeys, and what shared mobility means for congestion, emissions, and urban livability round out the picture.

Will the next generation of city dwellers still want to own a car, or will shared and multi-modal transport become the default way to move?