The report of the open seminar "Plaza of the Future 0101" #2, "Is Mobility a Means to an End?

On February 18, I attended the open seminar "Plaza of the Future 0101" #2 , "Is Mobility a Means to an End?
https://www.mirairo.co.jp/mirairo-house/event/event39_210218
-What is Universal MaaS?
Realizing a world where no one gives up on mobility
-The existence of the "mobile hesitant class
I define "mobility hesitant" as people who hesitate to move for some reason or another.
The world's infrastructure is built from the perspective of able-bodied people, but I thought it would be better if it were built from the perspective of those who hesitate to move.
For example, for airlines, the scope of work includes transportation between airports, but there are people who cannot come to the airport. Thinking from the user's perspective, we can see various problems.
-Example of Universal MaaS
Door to door services as one service.
Unification of payments. One application is all that is needed. Home to nearest station. Why is it so vertically divided? Users also take it for granted. Lack of imagination. They take it for granted. The watermelon may be a type of MaaS, although we don't realize how convenient it is.
When an elevator is installed, it becomes convenient for everyone, not just the elderly or the disabled. The key is that universal is attached to MaaS. It will also be convenient for the able-bodied.
If all the people who are hesitant to move under the current system start moving at once, the operators may run out of business.
What I'm thinking of is a car navigation system for wheelchairs. It will be easier for businesses to respond to wheelchair users if they know where they are.
Universal design transit system with no uneven ground. Linkage of means of transportation by pre-registering with information providers for confirmation.
-Who is Universal MaaS for?
It is easy not only for the person receiving the service but also for the service provider. Those who provide assistance and those who are assisted. Hesitant to move. It's not that they are physically unable to go, it's that they are psychologically hesitant.
Example: I don't want to go to the bathroom outside because I look masculine. ← The problem is that people don't know that there are people like this. Think about what's holding you back. I can't even ask people. If you want to take measures from the perspective of infrastructure development, for example, you can create a system where people can ask where the restroom is.
I heard that the J-League has planned a tour for people with developmental disabilities, but it needs to be sustained. In elementary schools, there is usually a division between special needs classes and regular classes. There is no division in society.
I was surprised when I came in contact with them for the first time.
When we talk about investment for disability, the target is limited, so for-profit companies will not be able to invest. Economic rationality leads to the elimination of waste, which is contrary to diversity. To what extent should we relax economic rationality and accept diversity?
Take hesitation. This is a mental problem, not a physical one. Some things cannot be solved by concrete structures.
-How can we make inclusion a reality in society?
How can NPOs engage the indifferent? How can we involve those who say that the cost is not good?
It is difficult for healthy people to move around if they have pets. It will be difficult for everyone to move when they get old.
Maps that allow wheelchairs to pass through.
It's not that wheelchair users are hesitant, it's that there are gradations of physical disabilities for different people. It's important to be able to talk openly about such things, and there is a common between private and public. Public is uniform for everyone. Common is not totalitarianism or something that can be imposed, but thinking about others proactively.
-What is the purpose of mobility?
Is mobility a means to an end? If you stay at home all the time, you start walking. When you are walking, you may want to take a detour. Enjoyment of transportation; it has more meaning than just being fast, cheap and safe.
Think about the various meanings of transportation. Destination. If there is a place you want to go, you will go there, but even if there is not, there must have been fun along the way.
Mobility can be a means to an end or a means to an end. Aim for everyone to be able to live their own life.
Hesitant to move; a word that is easy to get everyone's attention. Get people who are indifferent to it interested in it. Enjoyment that goes beyond hesitation.
-Balance between rationality and diversity
How far can we let go of rationality? I'm not saying don't think about productivity, but also think about valuing hesitation and the desire to try something. Isn't it okay to move without purpose?
Communication is important whether you have a disability or not. A balance between ethics and diversity, rationality and diversity is important. When it comes to people who are hesitant to move, we tend to focus on the elderly and people with disabilities, but there is more to it than that.
It is difficult to make things natural.
The importance of the word "hesitation.
The contrast with the idea of putting safety, efficiency, and purpose first.
How to go the shortest distance. ⇔ Diversity & Inclusion. Diversity and various values.
--------------------------------------------
Thoughts and considerations
--------------------------------------------
Since the content of this article is broad, I decided to discuss the title "Is Mobility a Means to an End? For now, I have decided to consider the title of this article, "Is Transportation a Means to an End?
In order to answer the question, "Is transportation a means to an end?" I think there are two types of transportation: transportation as a means and transportation as an end. With the popularity of corona, remote communication as represented by ZOOM has become popular in the corporate and educational sectors. These technologies may replace mobility as a means to an end, but if mobility itself is an end in itself, it will be difficult to replace. By the way, is it possible for remote communication to replace transportation as a means to an end? As an example, I thought about this through a commercial of a railroad company.
Keisei Skyliner Purpose; Going to the airport Remote substitution; Possible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9kbtdGpcjg
JR Tokai Tokaido Shinkansen Purpose; To meet my girlfriend Remote substitution; Impossible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK_eX4Oe5kA&t=200s
Odakyu Romance Car Purpose; To relax on vacation Remote substitution; Possible if you want to relax on vacation?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rwgghQuBU
Keio Electric Railway Purpose; Live on the street?　Remote substitution; Possible (substitute with delivery)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhlEZWP_rRo
Keihin Kyuko Purpose; Going to the airport Remote alternative; possible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt6F1OoqFJQ
East Japan Railway Purpose; Go skiing Remote substitution; may become possible if VR develops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgJGlirruDQ
Looking at the commercials of the above companies, I feel that even if the purpose of the trip is to travel, it would be difficult to use remote substitution for trips where psychological effects are important, such as "meeting a girlfriend" or "relaxing on vacation. On the other hand, it is highly likely that remote technology will be able to replace mobility for specific activities such as "going to the airport" or "skiing.
The term "hesitant travelers" is used to refer to people who have high psychological barriers to travel. If we assume that remote technology will replace mobility that involves concrete actions, as described above, but that mobility that has strong psychological implications will remain, perhaps it will become more important for companies involved in transportation to take care of the psychological aspects than to improve the efficiency of mobility.