Future of Transport Policy Brief

FUTURE OF TRANSPORT | La Jolla Conference 30 th Anniversary Policy Brief

Conclusion

Just exactly what the future of land, sea, and air transport looks like is far from certain. Nevertheless, these segments of the transport sector and industry are clearly undergoing massive transformations that will shape how people and businesses traverse the world. There are two drivers that are forcing change in this sector. 1. The challenges of climate change are providing the impetus for designing systems around sustainable fuel sources, such as renewable electricity, hydrogen, and ammonia. 2. Protecting the safety and security of human life is paramount for the future of transport, regardless of industry segment. As such, the incorporation of artificial intelligence and autonomous mobility in the transport sector provides a widely applicable solution to many of the avoidable and preventable accidents stemming from error in human judgment. Achieving the goals set forth by leaders in their respective industries will not be an easy feat. Many of the decisions in land, sea, and air transport are made by profit-maximizing actors that must factor in the concentrated costs of adopting new technology. Thus, progress toward a safe and sustainable future in transport hinges on aligning economic incentives through market-based approaches and global cooperation. The Institute of the Americas would like to recognize Leonardo Beltran , our Non-Resident Fellow, for chairing the Virtual Panel and the participation of expert presenters: Nazareth Black , CEO, Zacua; Ellie Casson , City Policy & Government Affairs, Waymo; Aykut I. Ölçer , Director of Research, Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair in Marine Technology and Innovation, World Maritime University; Rodrigo Perez-Alonso , Consultant & Former Executive Director of the National Air Transportation Chamber in Mexico. We would also like to recognize the efforts by Jesse Nasland , a graduate student at UCSD’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), who served as the rapporteur and principal drafter of this Policy Brief.

FUTURE OF TRANSPORT | INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS