Development of an eco-routing app to support sustainable mobility behaviour

Abstract

The transport challenges in metropolitan regions are manifold. As Schönfelder explained, “Intensive regional transport interdependencies, external effects of transport and infrastructure congestion are only three of the current problem areas” (Schönfelder 2018). Due to the special characteristics of metropolitan regions, the challenges are more complex than in a local context. Numerous links and dependencies mean that differentiated solutions have to be developed (necessitating the development of differentiated solutions). Apart from spatial structures, mobility behaviour is decisive. Changing decisions and habits can offer a solution to traffic problems in metropolitan regions. Models on the choice of means of transport from the field of transport planning, as well as consumption and decision theories from the economic and psychological fields, explain which factors drive mobility decisions. These illustrate that the environmental aspect plays a subordinate role in the choice of means of transport. The decisive factors consist of costs, journey times, independence and flexibility (Fürst and Oberhofer 2012). While the aspect of sustainability is becoming increasingly important in some areas of consumption, such as food, this trend is not evident in mobility (Heidbrink and Schmidt 2009). An app is intended to change this. The eco-routing app EmiLa integrates life-cycle assessments of various means of transport into classic route planning. It further compares sustainability factors for desired changes of location in addition to distances, travel times, transfers and costs. The associated benefit and gamification systems motivate the road user to utilise the app and display sustainable traffic behaviour.