Ford CEO Mark Fields has clearly been brushing up on the finer points of why transportation demand management is one of the most crucial tools for fixing traffic jams to make the economy and people’s lives better in cities.
He is perfectly willing to admit cities of the future won’t be ruled by cars.
The real problem, it seems, is how to prepare for a future in which people prefer to get around using all different modes of transportation: driverless cars, ride-sharing, train, bus, bicycle, and on foot.
“The approach has always been, from a city-planning standpoint, how many cars can you get through the area?” he said. “If we turn that on its head, and ask how do we maximize people getting through the areas, it makes you think very differently.”
In addition to its extensive plans to create commercially-available autonomous vehicles by 2021, Ford’s main focus in cities has been to increase its involvement with ride-sharing and bikes.