Digital mobility solutions in Dresden and Madrid - Steinbeis Europa Zentrum supports cities with communication, dissemination and exploitation

Europe’s urban mobility is undergoing a profound transformation. Challenges such as frequent congestion, air quality issues, and insufficient traffic safety are putting increasing pressure on European cities. At the same time, the EU has set ambitious goals. The Cities Mission aims for 100 climate-neutral European cities by 2030. And the EU mobility agenda defines zero-emission, intermodal, and user-centric transport systems as the heart of European cities. But how can we move quickly and environmentally friendly from A to B?

The EU project MOBILITIES FOR EU addresses exactly this question. As one of the largest European demonstration projects in the mobility sector, it brings together seven cities: Madrid and Dresden as Lead Cities, as well as Ioannina, Trenčín, Espoo, Gdańsk, and Sarajevo as Replication Cities.

With a total budget of €25 million, 11 pilots, and 27 innovative solutions, a unique demonstration framework is being created in the two Lead Cities. In Madrid, autonomous shuttles, fully electric bus fleets, and smart logistics concepts are being tested at Mercamadrid, one of Europe’s largest fresh food markets. In Dresden, urban services are being advanced at the Ostragehege and exhibition grounds through autonomous mobility services, intelligent parking and traffic management, and 5G-based solutions.

The five Replication Cities also play a key role. They develop their own Urban Transport Labs, analyze local needs, and adopt individually tailored concepts from Dresden and Madrid to strategically advance transferability and scalability.

As lead partner for communication and dissemination, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum shares the project results with both expert audiences and the general public to foster acceptance and enable future scaling. It uses various formats, such as video, print and newsletters, to show how sustainable and user-centred mobility solutions can be implemented in practice.

Steinbeis is also responsible for developing initial business models for suitable project outcomes, for example in the form of “Mobility-as-a-Service”, where mobility services (such as autonomous bus/shuttle operations) are planned, bundled, and delivered as a service. Through exploitation and business modelling workshops, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum works together with the result owners to structure the pathway from pilot to scale-up, define target segments and the value proposition, and document the outcomes in Business Model Canvas formats. Building on this, Steinbeis conducts market analyses that in particular examine procurement and contracting logic as well as key adoption barriers such as safety/authorisation requirements, liability, and user acceptance—thereby providing a basis for further exploitation decisions.

Through its European visibility in networks such as the Cities Mission, CIVITAS, and the CCAM and 2Zero partnerships, MOBILITIES FOR EU makes a significant contribution to knowledge transfer, thereby creating the foundation for further scalable and sustainable mobility solutions. This opens up valuable future perspectives for Steinbeis, including the expansion of its mobility expertise, a strengthened role in mission-oriented initiatives, and a clear positioning as a point of contact for impact, scaling, and transfer.

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum produces video for EU project MOBILITIES FOR EU - Innovative climate-friendly and digital mobility solutions in Dresden and Madrid - Steinbeis EN

https://mobilities-for.eu/