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Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Professor Antonio Páez from McMaster University in Canada says we might soon be getting to our next destination using driverless taxis - and with the assistance of apps such as Uber.

Professor Páez, an expert in geography and transport, visited the UWA Business School as part of the BHP Billiton Visiting Professor Program.

While conducting workshops and collaborating with UWA Business School researchers on a variety of topics including geo-demographics, accessibility and spatial filters, Professor Páez shared his views on sustainable transport.

"The idea of sustainability is that we can contribute to the economy while preserving the environment and maintaining healthy social relationships," Professor Páez said.

"The challenge for us is that our carbon-based transport systems are fundamentally unsustainable. The oil we consume today will not be available to future generations. We received a generous legacy of stunning natural surroundings, attractive cities and regional developments, well-planned transport infrastructure, abounding in life.

"But today new challenges force us to think carefully, to be better prepared and have a long-term vision about how we pass onto the next generations the inheritance we received. The last century developments made us more vulnerable. Globalisation, the strong rise of fossil-carbon economies, extended mobility - these all put a strain on our natural resources.

"In order to grow sustainably and prosper, we need to change our lifestyles and planning. How we travel (considering that the second highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world is transport!), where we live, how we plan to connect people and businesses to opportunities in a sustainable, efficient, satisfying and fulfilling manner, are all questions we need to consider."

While Professor Páez believes that the popularity of hybrid vehicles may help to reduce emissions and consumption of energetic resources, they are not a long solution. Electric vehicles and other alternative sources of energy are more promising technologies for mobility. Current trends may also favour a switch towards life in denser areas, as people's preferences change towards spending less time travelling. This represents an additional task for planners in creating spaces where the needs of the residents and opportunities meet.

"In my view, there will be more car sharing and bicycle sharing, but less demand for private cars. People will feel more comfortable sharing their mobility tools and there will be trust and confidence ratings on apps like Uber," Professor Páez predicts.

"Driverless cars are also on the radar; however, it's hard to say if they will become a mainstream transport mode for the new generation."

While in Perth, Professor Páez has been making use of the city's public transport and the Business School bicycles, enjoying collaborating with his UWA Business School colleagues, and has even seen a quokka.

When he returns to Canada, Professor Páez will continue to examine the future of mobility, and how evolving transport methods will change the form of our cities.

Professor Páez was visiting the UWA Business School in November and December 2014 as part of the BHP Billiton Visiting Professor Program, and was hosted by Associate Professor Doina Olaru and Dr Brett Smith.

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)                                         (+61 8) 6488 8538
Verity Chia (UWA Business School)                                                  (+61 8) 6488 1346

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