Launching a forum to help define tomorrow’s mobility today, Michelin’s Movin’On Summit, held June 4-6 in Montreal, Quebec, showcased the size, scope and potential of sustainable mobility, with the objective of moving from ambition to action.
Creating solutions for sustainable transportation is one of the greatest challenges facing cities today and also a great opportunity to reduce traffic congestion, increase vehicle safety and improve air quality. Just as important is collaboration among innovators, thought leaders, legislators, consumers and organizations from around the globe — who, together, can help lead the charge to make the world a better place, one sustainable innovation at a time.
Realizing the importance of a collaborative effort to address the complexity and scope of sustainable mobility, Michelin organized the 2019 Movin’On Summit (the third to date) — a mega-event that aligns with the company’s spirit of innovation and ongoing global values for sustainable mobility improvements, where tires continue to have a key role in mobility no matter what form they take.
The Movin’On Summit was attended by more than 5,000 leaders from the academic, government, environmental and business sectors (representing 25 countries) who explored the challenges, opportunities and cutting-edge solutions required to lead the way forward on issues of sustainable mobility, through a variety of conference sessions, workshops, labs, interactive experiences and networking opportunities.
Topics included sustainable investment strategies, rethinking urban mobility, electric vehicle fleets, autonomous vehicles for goods transport, the effect of global warming on mobility, AI-driven e-commerce, building public trust and infrastructure for autonomous vehicles, connecting rural and suburban areas through multimodality and much more.
Florent Menegaux, in his first official appearance since being named CEO of Michelin, unveiled the company’s newest breakthrough in mobility: a prototype tire called the Uptis (or Unique Puncture-proof Tire System). The result of 10 years of research and the use of new, hi-tech materials, the tire is airless, connected, 3-D-printable and 100% sustainable, helping to serve Michelin’s customers and the planet, the company says. Because Uptis is airless, Michelin says the wheel assembly also eliminates the risk of flat tires and blowouts.
Shift in Mindset
Beyond the need for a proper infrastructure to support sustainable mobility advancements, cultural-level challenges of a preference to own a vehicle, the need for a balance of incentives (carrots) and regulations (sticks) to move people to action, the element of trust and the ability to provide tangible solutions, connectivity, reliability, efficiency and the need to optimize supply chains that are currently filled with disruptions, a shift in mindset is required to get the sustainable mobility pendulum in motion.
The overarching consensus at the Movin’On Summit was the need to engage all stakeholders in the private and public sectors to work together to facilitate a sustainable transportation ecosystem. Undoubtedly, technology will play a key role in the “frictionless” experience at obtaining multimodality.
Inspiring Mobility
During the event, Michelin also announced the winners of its “Inspiring Mobility” Global Challenge Design competition – visionaries who addressed mobility solutions that mega-cities might face in the year 2035. The full story can be found here.
