Automotive E-ssentials

Sustainable Mobility Concepts: First Steps Toward Globally Uniform Standards

Connected instead of individual: The mobility ecosystem must transform. TÜV SÜD, IEEE, and other partners share a common goal: to develop globally uniform assessment frameworks for sustainable mobility models that meet the requirements of the UN climate protection goals. This is the roadmap.

TÜV SÜD, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and other organizations aim to advance globally valid standards for sustainable mobility models. The partners announced this in September during the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Their shared objective is the development of globally uniform assessment frameworks that comply with the UN climate protection goals.

“Society, economic, socio-cultural, and political foundations, infrastructure: while sustainable mobility must be organized differently around the world, all stakeholders need globally binding standards and legal certainty to implement various concepts and compare them based on specific values. Only in this way can we realize the mobility of tomorrow,” said Pascal Mast, Director of Sustainable Technologies at TÜV SÜD Division Mobility.

Key foundations for transforming the mobility ecosystem are new technologies such as alternative drives, software-based vehicles (SDV), or highly automated driving. These will enable a connected rather than individual mobility in the future. The partners see enormous potential here for achieving climate goals in the transport sector. However, all players must pull together - success cannot be achieved if everyone goes different ways.

Out of the Conditional

Therefore, innovative mobility systems will initially be implemented in various countries and regions to develop and validate best practices. This will be based on virtual, as well as practical, hands-on tests. The questions are: What does the best infrastructure look like? Which vehicles are most suitable, and what drive concepts? What is the traffic volume? How do people currently get around locally? What mobility habits exist?

The specific goal of TÜV SÜD and the involved partners is to create certified test environments for mobile pilot projects to assess the implications of sustainable mobility systems. One existing concept that can be utilized is found in Paris: the “15-Minute City.” The idea is that in this framework, every destination can be reached on foot or by bike within 15 minutes. Other platforms include the Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN) in Singapore and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC).

A crucial point for the successful implementation of new mobility concepts is to engage people with their habits. The barrier must be low so that self-driving microbuses or rail vehicles are accepted. Out of the conditional and into practice! TÜV SÜD is driving this forward. Céline Bilolo, Chief Sustainability Officer at TÜV SÜD AG, who moderated the session on Sustainable Mobility in New York at the UN Science Summit titled "Driving Sustainable Mobility: Collaborative Impact Assessment Framework for Sustainable Transportation Systems in Alignment with UN SDGs", added: “Outstanding global networking with OEMs, research institutions, and authorities – TÜV SÜD is on board when it comes to the mobility of tomorrow. The Octagon fosters international trust, especially in new technologies.”

"Finally Seeing the Mountains Again"

What sustainable mobility can look like was impressively demonstrated by Doreen Orishaba, Managing Director of BasiGo from Rwanda, at the UN Summit. After replacing existing combustion engine buses in Nairobi with electric ones, air quality has noticeably improved: "We were finally able to see the mountains again," summarized the Managing Director. Why buses? Because people in Nairobi primarily use them for transportation. “You must work with the local infrastructure. This not only ensures approval but also reduces costs.”

Currently, more than 30 organizations and companies are participating in the project, including Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Tata Group/TCS, Geely, Lockheed Martin, Waymo, Schaeffler, Cisco, Apple, Duke Energy, Enel City of Austin, City of Vienna, MITRE, SAE International; DIN, CATARC, Swiss Re, Intel, CATARC, and Allianz. This list also shows that as a traditionally established global organization, IEEE brings together competing companies that otherwise would not easily communicate. Shared legal certainty is an important asset for the partners.

What’s Next?

The project is being established within the framework of the Industry Connection Program IC23-011-01 "SustainMobility" of IEEE SA. Initial goals include workshops at prominent global events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2025 and the G7/G20 Global Solution Summit in May 2025 in Berlin. The aim is initially to increase visibility. Pascal Mast, Chair of the Industry Connection, emphasized: “Through collective action based on a standardized foundation, the mobility industry can achieve a course change and make a significant contribution to tackling the climate crisis.”

By 2028, the partners aim to develop a set of standards for a holistic assessment of the sustainability impacts of mobility systems under IEEE SA. The requirements will encompass the essential elements of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including decarbonization, safety, social change, affordability, accessibility, and acceptance. Bilolo stated, “The results of our work should serve as a beacon that reshapes our approach to mobility and sustainability. Our project will play a decisive role in creating a safer, fairer, and more sustainable future for all.”

Copyright: asp