The Future of Mobility
Car ownership is so 2010's

Mobility is at a crossroads. On the one hand, it’s a service provided by the government. A service we all pay for through taxes and fares. On the other hand, it’s dominated by car manufacturers. Businesses that, you could argue, benefit from inefficient ridership also known as single-occupancy trips. The inefficiency and rigidness of car ownership, combined with technological advancements, are shaping up to make this decade the decade of shared mobility.
One could argue that the more efficient option wins out in the end. Not in all cases, but in many. In the case of mobility, the more efficient option has lost out to individual car ownership for decades. There is a long history of why, which you can learn more about in The Geography of Nowhere by James Kunstler. The coles notes are that the automobile industry’s lobbying power led to our cities being designed for the car.
One stat that surprises many is that Americans have fewer cars per capita than most European nations, including Germany, France, Belgium, and England. In fact, the US ranks just 25th in car ownership per capita. Yet, if you have ever been to Europe, you know that the transportation options are far superior to that of North America. Flying is less expensive. Trains connect even the smallest towns. Spouses do fear for each other’s lives when they cycle to work (like mine did when we lived in Toronto).
Fewer cars per capita can be a good thing. But not if people can’t move around and between cities in an efficient way. Mobility is an essential service, and without it, economies suffer.
Any government looking to advance their economy, support local business, and put more money in the pockets of their citizens should consider improvements to their mobility infrastructure. They should strive to be hubs of innovation and investment for mobility businesses. Changing their streets from car-dominated to people-centric can do wonders for the vibrancy of their city centers.
Transport Minister out of the UK (where car ownership is at a whopping 80% of households), Trudy Harrison, had this to say about shared mobility:
‘Many things seem far-fetched until they aren’t and I believe the same is true for shared mobility.’ ‘Changing the way people consider car ownership and dependency will take time,’
She adds that car ownership is 20th-century thinking.
Toronto’s King St. Pilot is one example of a street brought into the 21st century. The pilot (which has been made permanent) restricted car access to one of the city’s busiest streets, to improve streetcar commute times, cyclist safety, and pedestrian experience. This led to an increase in transit ridership of 17%, and a street that feels like you’ve been transported to Europe with diners on street-side patios and people hanging out in public spaces. It also had no effect on neighboring street traffic — a strange outcome until you realize traffic is like a gas; it fills whatever space it is given.
The most advanced cities are already planning for fewer car owners and fewer car trips. Barcelona created Superblocks, which are areas in the city reserved for pedestrians — no cars allowed. They currently have 6 of these superblocks designed to reduce car traffic, emissions, and improve city life, and are expanding to 500.
Car Ownership Is Inflexible
Cities are starting to see the benefits of fewer cars. People are too. A car is a major expense for most people. Its inefficiencies are evident in the cost of ownership. That’s because your car only moves you around the city. Other modes of transport, including public, and shared mobility options like car sharing, move many others around as well — spreading the cost out amongst its users based on the amount each person uses the service.
People in major metropolitan areas are waking up to the silly idea of car ownership. Even car manufacturing behemoths like BMW are investing in shared ownership through car-sharing schemes. Of course, those at BMW don’t think individual ownership is going anywhere, but they are hedging their bets.
If cities around the world continue to expand and improve mobility options, I think individual car owners will be relegated to small towns. City dwellers won’t waste their hard-earned cash on a depreciating asset burning a hole in their pocket.
You might argue flexibility will keep cars on the road. The ability to get up and go whenever you want is too convenient. What you would be missing is the inflexibilities of car ownership. Every month you’re paying for a space to keep your car whether you use it or not. Every month you are paying for insurance for your car whether you use it or not. Every time you get in the car, it’s the same car, whether you like it anymore or not. The car dominates your mode of transportation because you are already paying for it, so you better use it.
What if you got rid of that car and used the improving options available to you? A mix of public transit, car-sharing, ride-hailing, electric scooters, or a bike to get where you need to go. That’s flexibility. Never having to pay for something you don’t use. Getting to pick the kind of vehicle every time, whether you need a truck, or you want to show off in a sports car.
Many long-time car owners might scoff at giving up their cars. I know my in-laws will always have 2 cars in the garage. Part of that comes from them living in the suburbs, which are less connected to the organic mobility systems of downtown cores. My belief is with changing demographics in the suburbs and the introduction of shared autonomous driving options, they too will be connected places with convenient options for shared mobility. It is also partly impacted by what the idea of a car represents. It’s a status symbol. It’s a sense of freedom. But that too shall change with greater concern for the environment and improved options when it comes to shared mobility.
Electric cars are a nice alternative to gas-powered ones. Anyone that can make the switch now should. As I pointed out in another article, it may be an astute way to reduce your expenses related to car ownership. The unfortunate reality is that not everyone will switch to an electric car this decade or next. Even if they all wanted to, the resources needed to make those cars, from lithium to copper, are not readily available. Scaling up of mining companies would be required.
I recognize that scaling up mobility infrastructure to move more people around will take resources as well. But as it is shared, it works out to be a more efficient use of resources.
Governments Could Really Screw This Up
City planners continue to advocate for better-shared mobility infrastructure, but elected officials are still falling for old tricks. Consider this Toronto Star headline “Politics, not logic, is behind Doug Ford’s new drive to build Highway 413”. Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, brother of the late Rob Ford, is fighting to pave a new highway over the Greenbelt to funnel more cars into Toronto (which has no room for them). The alternatives to another highway are many, but most promising in are improving intercity rail transportation, which could make Toronto more like great European transit destinations such as Paris.
Governments can help residents reduce their impact on climate change, reduce inequality, strengthen economies, and improve mental health, by improving transit options. That’s a lot more than what a new highway or car subsidies provide.
One impediment to mass adoption is convenience. We love convenience. We are lazy when it comes down to it. That’s where businesses and government must work together to offer more connected mobility options where you can transfer between public transit, car and bike share, or whatever your preferred transit mode is, all with a single membership. It has to be as simple as walking down to the corner and picking the transit option that makes the most sense that day.
Mobility isn’t a challenge governments will solve on their own. Businesses can’t do it solo either. It’s going to be a joint effort. From the consumer side, we are already seeing the early adopters get rid of their cars and cobble together transit options. Businesses and governments that can make transit more connected and convenient will help the majority get on board.