Civil Engineering September 2022 | Vol 30 No 8

Civil Engineering September 2022 1 From the Pres ident ’ s desk A s women’s month came to an end, we asked ourselves how ‘smart mobility’ is helping to combat harassment and gender-based violence in the transport system. It is no secret that women face higher levels of harassment than men when using the transport system, especially if they rely on public transport. Analysing the situation at public transport stops, stations, and interchanges, for example, the countrywide average security satisfaction at taxi ranks has improved, while the opposite is true for BRT stations (see Figure 1). One of the common technology systems improving security at transport interchanges is CCTV systems. However, for these systems to be effective, continuous monitoring is required, which traditionally meant that a human being viewed the real-time footage on an ongoing basis. Where smart surveillance systems traditionally automate face detection, licence plate detection and traffic flow monitoring, recent developments include real-time vio- lence detection and automated security and police alerts. Real-time violence detection can also be provided by GPS tracking systems that phone users can activate when feeling threatened. Another system that contributes to the reduction of harass- ment in the transport system is ride-hailing. Many users feel safer, as they do not have to walk to/from a stop, rank or station. The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) shows the dissatisfac- tion values for the walk to/from interchanges are generally higher than the values depicted in Figure 1. Furthermore, even when trips are shared, the reduction in passenger numbers in the vehicle provides a higher sense of security. Baufeldt and Vanderschuren (2022) recently established that males are much more likely to use rideshare systems, including at night and when travelling alone (70% to 80%) compared to their female counterparts (25% to 50%). We need to unpack why this is the case and how smart mobility systems can improve access to travel for the most vulnerable. Roland Berger Consultants conducted a detailed study on shared smart mobility and state that in the world of shared economy – shared goods, services, money, accommodation, and mobility – the mobility sector is one of the fastest-growing segments in terms of revenue. In the South African context, on the other hand, the uptake of bike- and car-share schemes has been minimal. High crime and vandalism levels are likely to be the cause. However, being able to use private modes, even if the user does not own the vehicle, can improve mobility for many, and possibly reduce harassment. More recent technological advances in bike-share systems have moved from docked systems to GPS-based floating systems, using geo-tracking. For the South African context, we need to establish whether this is the cutting-edge technology needed to generate market opportunities. Unfortunately, smart mobility and digitisation is not all good. A higher level of digitalisation and use of autonomous systems can help in avoiding risky situations. But it also means that stalking and other illegal activities become easier. Besides a gender bias, some authors also warn that smart mobility systems have a bias towards the more affluent populations, which is something that needs to be addressed in the South African context. Overall, it is striking how little attention is paid to the effects of smart mobility on women and other vulnerable groups. I am thankful to the NRF/CSIR for providing me the op- portunity to research smart mobility more elaborately and from various angles. I am also excited for the upcoming Smart Mobility Africa Summit taking place on 5 and 6 October 2022 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. REFERENCES Statistics South Africa. 2013. National Household Travel Survey Database. Baufeldt, J. & Vanderschuren, M. 2022. Gender-Based Personal Security Perception of Ride-Share for ‘Before’, ‘During’ and ‘After’ Covid-19: the Case of Cape Town . Thredbo Conference, Sydney, 2022. Roland Berger Consultants. 2014. Shared Mobility – How new businesses are rewriting the rules of the private transportation game . Munich, Germany: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmBH. Sweden Trafik analys. 2016. Gender equality analysis of trends in the transport sector . Stockholm, Trafik analys. Giesel, F. & Nobis, C. 2016. The impact of carsharing on car ownership in German Cities . Transportation Research Procedia, 19 (SupplementC), pp. 215–224. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2016.12.082 . Shaheen, S.A., Martin, E.W., Chan, N.D., Cohen, A.P. & Pogodzinski, M. 2014. Public bikesharing in North America during a period of rapid expansion: Understanding business models, industry trends and user impacts . California: Mineta Transportation Institute. Singh, Y. 2020. Is smart mobility also gender-smart? Journal of Gender Studies , 29:7, 832-846. Prof. Marianne Vanderschuren SAICE President 2022 marianne.vanderschuren@uct.ac.za Do smart mobility systems support women’s security? Figure 1 Household heads being (very) unsatisfied with transport security levels (Statistics South Africa) Taxi rank Bus stop BRT station Metrorail station 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 0% 2013 2020 10%