Urban mobility in transition: the impact of free-floating car sharing- exemplified by the case of driveNow in Lisbon

Abstract

Car sharing is introduced as an innovative, technology-driven mobility service to Lisbon’s existing mobility mix, thus providing a mechanism to the growing transportation challenges the city is facing today. Urbanization and dominating motorized travel have come at economic, environmental, and social costs that car sharing aims to compensate and even reverse. The present thesis develops a theoretical framework – building on the concepts of urban mobility, automotive disruption as well as environmental pressures – to assist in gaining and improving the understanding of car sharing. Further, it discusses its implications including car ownership reduction and accompanying side effects and ultimately, necessary measures are recommended to accelerate the adoption rate of car sharing among consumers, and with that, its expected benefits.