Ford Urban Mobility Networks Providing Solutions to Social and Environmental Problems in Urban Slums

Abstract

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Building upon the work of a series of previous SNRE master’s projects, our team has identified New Mobility as a potential set of solutions to many of the social and environmental problems related to mobility and accessibility within urban slums of São Paulo, Brazil. New Mobility systems are highly integrated, environmentally sound, and socially equitable systems of moving people and goods. Implementing such systems as a solution to urbanization mega-trends is an innovative concept in that previous solutions to addressing slums (i.e., slum-upgrading) did not comprehensively consider mobility, and solutions to transportation problems (i.e., mass transit, hub networks, etc) either completely ignored or minimally considered slum residents. Insights garnered from this new perspective on New Mobility in slums were then applied to recommendations to the Ford Motor Company on potential paths to co-creating an equitable, efficient, and profitable system of transportation in São Paulo. This research argues heavily for the importance of partnerships outside traditional transportation agencies and offers new ways of looking at typical business relationships.

SUB SAHARAN AFRICA: Although Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is often viewed as predominantly rural, it is one of the most rapidly urbanizing regions of the world. SSA has one of the highest proportions of its urban population living in slums, as slums absorb most of this rapid urban growth. Since slums are often situated on the periphery of cities, transportation is a serious problem and contributes to the poverty of slum dwellers. By creating efficient, integrated transportation systems, New Mobility has potential to be one solution to the urbanization of poverty, as New Mobility systems increase an individual’s accessibility to transportation solutions through highly integrated, environmentally sound, and socially equitable multi-modal transportation. This project seeks to understand the unique characteristics of slums in Sub Saharan Africa and to determine in what form, to what extent, and under what conditions Ford Urban Mobility Networks (FUMN) are a feasible business. The New Mobility Business Model is adapted to SSA by focusing on accessibility and partnerships, in particular between Accessibility Partners (transportation and IT providers categorized by their ability to access a slum) and Support Partners (who provide other aspects of the New Mobility value network). Determining the feasibility of providing FUMN solutions to a particular slum is achieved through a Market Assessment process, and determining how best to provide such solutions is achieved through Market Penetration Strategies. The Market Assessment involves using the Slum Evaluation Matrix and Business Scenario Guide to determine a likely Business Scenario for a given slum. The Slum Evaluation Matrix comprises 35 Indicators evaluated by risk and opportunity in 7 Categories, including Stability, Institutions, Infrastructure, Economy / Employment, Environment, Education and Health. The Business Scenario Guide allows FUMN to determine the likely Business Scenario, which are Profitable, Participatory, and Philanthropic. The Market Penetration Strategies involve co-creating custom solutions within the slum, building effective partnerships, and leveraging FUMN’s competitive advantage when doing business in the “Badlands.”