SENG Distinguished Talk - The Present and Future of Mobility: Shaping Transportation from Ground to Sky

Transportation is at a pivotal moment, evolving from a system that moves vehicles to one that orchestrates dynamic, multi-modal mobility.

This Distinguished Research Excellence Award talk begins with foundational work on smart travel demand management, including the development of tradable travel credit schemes—a market-based approach that combines efficiency with equity to address urban congestion. The discussion then turns to recent advances in on-demand ride-hailing services, exploring platform optimization, dynamic matching, surge pricing, and the role of third-party integrators in reshaping urban mobility.

Looking to the future, the talk shares insights from ongoing research on advanced air mobility and autonomous vehicles. From designing infrastructure networks for the Greater Bay Area to developing socially sensitive autonomous vehicles that can safely coexist with human drivers, these efforts aim to extend the reach of intelligent transportation from the ground to the sky.

Throughout the lecture, theoretical innovation, empirical analysis, and policy engagement are shown to converge in shaping a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable mobility ecosystem—one that meets the needs of society today while preparing for the opportunities of tomorrow.