Visions for the mobility of the future revolve around novel concepts based on the principle of sharing, the end of the combustion engine, and self-driving (or even flying) vehicles. However, recent developments point towards alternative ways of achieving a decarbonization that rely on low-tech and well-known concepts. For example Colombia is investing in bus rapid transit systems. Vienna is subsidizing a 365-Euro yearly ticket for its public transport system. The city of Berlin wants to fully replace traditional busses by electric busses or trams by 2030. City-planners from around the world visit Amsterdam and Copenhagen to learn how to create bike-friendly cities.

Against this background the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) and the Alumni Association of the German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum in cooperation with the Innovation Centre for Mobility and Societal Change (InnoZ) are hosting this symposium. It brings together leading representatives from think-tanks, industry, the media and others to discuss the different paths towards the mobility of the future.

The first session discusses high-tech as well as low-tech visions for the mobility of the future. What could a "Verkehrswende" (transformation of the transport system) look like? What is realistic now and what will we see in the distant future? The second session looks at the normative implications of different paths towards the mobility of the future. What is a fair distribution of space available to pedestrians, cyclists and (parked) cars? Who should pay for the decarbonization of traffic? There is a heated debate about how and by whom these questions should be answered. Should the changes be driven by industry and competition? How much should the state be involved? What is the right level of civil society involvement?