Successful knowledge exchange between Sweden and the USA to strengthen sustainable mobility

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Sweden and California, renowned for their innovation cultures, have collaborated in the Sweden California CoLab project to share experiences, promote sustainable mobility, and reduce emissions from transportation. The project has successfully brought together leaders from Sweden's public sector and California's innovation system and counterparts. Future Mobility played a pivotal role, leveraging its and Vinnovas' well-established connections with key figures in the USA.

People in a lecture hall, listening to a person on stage

The Sweden California CoLab project, a collaboration between K2, the National Knowledge Center for Public Transportation, Zeto AB, Trafikverket, and Seamless Bay Area, has been successfully implemented during 2022-2023.

This has led to in-depth knowledge sharing in emerging mobility and public transportation among leaders in the public sector in both countries. The common goal is to support sustainable mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

Among other activities, project participants had the opportunity to test autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, visit a test facility for new self-driving pods, and explore a Demand-Responsive Transportation (DRT) pilot. California's leaders also received a demonstration on the theme: "What can California learn from Sweden's world-class public transit?".

"The exchange of experiences between Swedish and Californian leaders has been crucial in identifying lessons and opportunities in areas such as micromobility, demand-responsive transport services, and autonomous mobility. We have gained insights that would have been challenging to obtain without the project, leading to numerous ideas for future collaborations."

– Elias Arnestrand, Innovation Manager, K2

Elias continues and talk about how Future Mobility assisted the project:

“Future Mobility assisted us in the project, not only with funding but by creating a structure to bring such projects to fruition. For public entities, international exchanges are often limited. Platforms like Future Mobility offer opportunities to systematically form relationships, learn from other actors facing similar challenges, and build the courage to drive change domestically.

This project clearly illustrates the value of a platform like Future Mobility for Sweden's innovation capabilities."

– Elias Arnestrand

Results:

Financed by Future Mobility, the project has explored common challenges in mobility and climate and offered leaders an opportunity to strategically plan for the future of mobility.

The program involved over 50 participants from both countries and over 20 organizations. The project has resulted in new partnerships and a strong interest in deepening knowledge exchange and collaboration. Swedish leaders, including those from the Traffic Administration Region Stockholm, Västtrafik, Västra Götaland Region, Skånetrafiken, K2, and Swedish Public Transport, identified significant lessons and future opportunities in micromobility, demand-responsive transport services, and autonomous mobility from their counterparts in California.

Participants from California, including Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and the cities of San Francisco and San Jose, have deepened their interest in Swedish models for coordinating regional public transportation, procurement, project delivery, accessible transport, and improved customer experience.

The program has met its goals by offering dialogue and exchange on future issues related to collective mobility, creating long-term relationships, and laying the foundation for continued collaboration. The subsequent digital summit has concretized further collaboration activities. For example, participating organizations will organize a high-level conference on Automation and DRT in the first quarter of 2024 as a direct result of the work.

Create sustainable mobility collaborations with Future Mobility

In the landscape of sustainable mobility, Future Mobility stands as a catalyst for transformative partnerships, bringing together industry, academia, and various organizations across Sweden and the United States. Our platform and network are an ecosystem of innovation waiting to be explored by you.

Why connect with Future Mobility?

Innovative network: Join a dynamic community of forward-thinkers, visionaries, and industry leaders passionate about shaping the future of sustainable mobility.

Research and innovation collaborations: Future Mobility specializes in fostering partnerships that transcend borders. Whether you're from Sweden or the United States, we can help you find the ideal counterpart for research and innovation ventures.

Financial support: We believe in turning ideas into impactful realities. If you have a vision for sustainable mobility but lack the financial resources, we can support you by identifying suitable funding programs.

How can you take action?

Express your interest: If you're eager to team up with an organization or industry, Future Mobility is here to facilitate that and provide the support needed to transform ideas into action.

Funding opportunities: Turn your innovative concepts into reality. Connect with us to explore funding opportunities for bilateral collaborations that drive sustainable mobility initiatives.

Contact us: Ready to take the next step? Start a conversation with Hans Pohl today to discuss how Future Mobility can be the catalyst for your next project.