Europe’s population is ageing. in 2019, more than a fifth (20.3 per cent) of the EU-27 population was at least 65 years old. And the trend is still rising. Demographic change is a challenge for public transport, but it can also be an opportunity for growth with a customised mobility offer for senior citizens. After all, if older people no longer drive, they are increasingly dependent on public transport in order to continue to actively participate in social life.

In this edition of the blog series “Mobility turn now!”, we are focusing on the largest of Germany’s eastern federal states relating to area: Brandenburg. In addition to the Spreewald cucumbers and unspoilt nature, Brandenburg has a lot to offer in terms of new mobility and Smart Cities.

Mobility Hubs, also known as Mobility stations, are publicly accessible locations where various modes of transport and sharing services converge. These can be S-Bahn (suburban train) and subway stations in an urban context, or even a bus stop in the countryside where rental bikes are available or important bus routes intersect. At these stations, people can easily switch from one mode of transport to another. Mobility hubs promote efficient and sustainable mobility by offering various mobility services, otherwise known as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). The concept can be expanded from a simple bus stop to large Mobility Hubs, for example, with a combination of on-demand transport, car sharing stations, or e-scooters.

Holidays without mobility are only possible on staycations, because no matter whether it’s a day trip, an annual holiday or a long-term trip: Travelling means being mobile. In order to achieve the climate protection goals and to advance the traffic turnaround, tourist traffic should also be critically examined, because Germans like to travel a lot.

Autonomous mobility is no longer a utopia; it is already reality and a key technology in today’s world. Worldwide, and especially in Europe, research and testing are being carried out on autonomous mobility – this holds great potential in terms of improving individual mobility thanks to increasingly efficient services while also providing a way of reducing private transport.

Autonomous driving has been considered one of the major trends in the mobility industry for years. According to a representative survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom in 2021, 99.8 percent of respondents can imagine using an autonomous means of transport*. But what does it actually mean when car manufacturers send the first systems for highly automated driving on the road at level 3 and level 4 autonomous shuttles reinforce public transport in Germany on demand from 2023 onwards?    

For a long time, the company car was considered the non-plus-ultra and was often the only mobility offer employees could expect from their employer. In 2023, more flexible mobility solutions such as digital demand-responsive company transport, job bikes and mobility budgets are gaining ground. Rising energy prices, stricter environmental and climate protection regulations as well as greater sustainability awareness among employees are also contributing to the need for companies to rethink their corporate mobility management.

A mobility guarantee is