As the moderator of this profound episode of the 4NewMobility Leadership Talk, I had the distinct privilege of hosting a roundtable of exceptional thought leaders — Carol Schweiger, Patrizia Niehaus, Maya Ben Dror, Roger Atkins, and Sampo Hietanen — to delve into a topic that is critically important and yet underrepresented in mainstream discourse: How equitable and inclusive is today’s mobility landscape, and how can it be improved for all?

From the very outset, the panelists offered deeply personal and systemic perspectives on the interplay between mobility, vulnerability, and societal structures. Maya Ben Dror poignantly opened the conversation by linking mobility to freedom — a freedom that is not equitably distributed, especially for women, caregivers, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Her narrative, grounded in both personal experience and global data, laid bare the widespread insecurity and risk associated with daily mobility for many.

Carol Schweiger expanded this reflection into the realm of trust and system design, advocating for mobility environments that are not only physically secure but built on an architecture of user-centric inclusivity. Her emphasis on systems thinking and unbiased data collection resonated throughout the session.

Patrizia Niehaus brought forward an organizational lens, asserting that corporate responsibility across the value chain is essential to implement real change. She identified key user pain points — uncertainty, unaffordability, and safety — and highlighted how organizations can step up to transform these pain points into innovation opportunities.

Roger Atkins underscored the once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign the entire mobility and energy ecosystem — particularly through technological leapfrogging like wireless charging and battery swapping. His call to embrace this pivotal moment and rethink both energy and transport revolutions was both strategic and optimistic.

Sampo Hietanen contributed a critical vision by interrogating the very dreams and market structures that shape mobility, noting how the current paradigm has long been “held hostage” by a narrow demographic. He championed a shift toward user-driven services and systemic reform, emphasizing the need for an “anywhere, anytime” experience — a future where seamless multimodal transport is intuitive, desirable, and inclusive.

Throughout the dialogue, the panel shared compelling global examples of inclusive practices — from women-only carriages in India to flexible bus stops in Nordic countries — showcasing that scalable, user-sensitive mobility models do exist, but are fragmented and often lack coordinated implementation. The importance of concerted stakeholder collaboration and proactive orchestration was a recurring theme.

In our closing reflections, when I asked each guest for a one-word or two-word summary of what it takes to enable a fairer mobility future, their responses were telling: dreams, unlock and co-create, intentional, gender sensitivity, and courage. Each of these encapsulates not only the complexity of the challenge but also the hopeful energy and strategic mindset needed to drive forward.

Top 5 Learnings from the Video Podcast

1. Mobility is Not Equally Accessible or Safe for All

Vulnerable populations — especially women, caregivers, and people with disabilities — continue to face significant barriers to safe, dignified, and reliable mobility.

2. Data Bias and Design Gaps Undermine Equity

Existing planning and data collection practices often exclude critical user segments, leading to systemic blind spots in mobility service design.

3. Technology Is Only Part of the Solution

While EVs, autonomous vehicles, and digital platforms hold promise, true equity requires intentional planning, inclusive policy, and co-designed user experiences.

4. Market Structures Must Be Rethought

There is a need to redesign market incentives to encourage investment in inclusive, multimodal services — moving from profit-driven exclusivity to purpose-driven accessibility.

5. Change Requires Courageous, Coordinated Action

Real transformation demands cross-sectoral leadership, bold experimentation, and a shift from isolated innovation to shared responsibility across the entire mobility value chain.