The Impact of New Mobility Modes on a City: A Generic Approach Using ABM

Abstract

Mobility is a key issue for city planners. Being able to evaluate the impact of its evolution is complex and involves many factors including new technologies like electric cars, autonomous vehicles and also new social habits like vehicle sharing. We need a better understanding of different scenarios to improve the quality of long-term decisions. Computer simulations can be a tool to better understand this evolution, to discuss different solutions and to communicate the implications of different decisions. In this paper, we propose a new generic model that creates an artificial micro-world which allows the modeler to create and modify new mobility scenarios in a quick and easy way. This not only helps to better understand the impact of new mobility modes on a city, but also fosters a better-informed discussion of different futures. Our model is based on the agent-based paradigm using the GAMA Platform. It takes into account different mobility modes, people profiles, congestion and traffic patterns. In this paper, we review an application of the model of the city of Cambridge.