Where next for urban mobility? A conversation with Daniel Deparis at Mercedes-Benz

In this episode Prof. Greg Clark meets Daniel Deparis, Head of Urban Mobility Solutions at Mercedes-Benz. As our towns and cities become more connected, so too are the ways in which we get around them. In this episode we explore how urban mobility is changing. How will connected vehicles shape the connected places of the future. What will they need to connect to and what value can they add to the city and the citizen? What are the new emerging technologies that are shaping mobility systems in cities around the world? Where are the UK’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation in urban mobility, and which cities around the world can UK city leaders and transport authorities can best learn from? Daniel Deparis is Head of Urban Mobility at Mercedes Benz. His team works with cities around the world to unlock new products, hardware and services for the mobility and transport systems of tomorrow. Daniel previously headed the Daimler Smart Lab - a world-leading think tank and incubator looking at the future of urban mobility and how we move around our towns and cities. Originally from France, Daniel studied business administration in Lille before beginning his career in 1999 as an intern at Mercedes-Benz in Global Services and Parts in Stuttgart. Music on this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and Phill Ward Music (www.phillward.com) Follow the show! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Please also take a moment to write a review and rate us so that more people can hear about the podcast and what we do at Connected Places Catapult.  Show notes Conversation topics/themes: The changing patterns of mobility in cities evolving in the future – the trends that pre-dated COVID and what’s changed since COVID. What these changes mean from the perspective of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) like Mercedes-Benz/Daimler and others in the market. The most interesting emerging technologies; how they are likely to shape the urban mobility systems in different cities around the world; and the importance of scaling what we already have in place. The evolution of connected vehicles, and the kind of economy and society they will produce. How connected vehicles will become part of the connected places of the future, and what they most need to connect with. Where the UK has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation in urban mobility, and which cities around the world UK city leaders and transport authorities can best learn from. The emergence of ‘connected places’ and the importance of finding a common language to forge new partnerships across a diverse array of partners?   More information is on our website about the Catapult’s VeriCAV project, which is building and testing an integrated framework to allow Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) to be validated in simulation. Our CertiCAV project is creating practice framework for assessing the safety of automated vehicles, and our ServCity project is making autonomous mobility a reality in the UK’s cities by deploying cutting-edge autonomous vehicle technology in complex built-up environments. You can also register for our two upcoming showcase events for CertiCAV on the 15th March, and VeriCAV on the 22nd March by visiting our events page. Our wider innovation programme with the UK Department of Transport also includes a number of case studies from drones and the future of aviation, to new innovations in micro-mobility and active travel. To find out more about what we do at the Connected Places Catapult and to hear about the latest news, events and announcements, please sign up to our newsletter!