The Mobility Seers

Why a software company can already see the future of transportation.

Software from the PTV Group shows mobility scenarios for cities and logistics companies, and calculates better paths into the future. Photo: Porsche Consulting

Paulo Humanes, the PTV Group’s manager in charge of business development and new mobility, stands in the new mobility lab at his group’s headquarters in Karlsruhe. Featuring five monitors, a projection table, and a wall-sized screen, the room functions as a control center that can take visitors on virtual tours. First stop: Barcelona.

“What do you think, how long should passengers have to wait before being picked up by an autonomous electric car?” asks Humanes. Visitors are asked to assume the role of mayor and decide how the residents of this European metropolis should be able to get around by rapid, safe, and environmentally friendly means of transportation. “How soon in advance should they have to order the car?” And, “Should they be able to get in anywhere, at any street corner, or only at specified stops?” There’s quite a bit to decide.

But when all the key data are determined, the future unfolds in front of viewers’ astonished eyes, in the form of an interactive scenario. A trip from any given point to the city center, such as the famous La Rambla shopping street? No problem. The screen on the wall shows the precise route—and what else is moving in the city at the same time.

Read the complete article: „The Mobility Seers“