Urban mobility has emerged as a central challenge for contemporary cities. Over the past 150-200 years, the rise of the automobile has deeply influenced urban development, particularly in newer cities like Los Angeles, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. These car-centric cities are now struggling to retrofit their infrastructure to align with sustainable and human-centric mobility goals. Meanwhile, older cities like London, Tokyo, and Mumbai, which evolved before cars dominated, are adapting their historically pedestrian-friendly layouts to modern demands.

Automobiles as the Design Principle

Cities like Los Angeles and Dubai were designed during the automobile's golden age, prioritizing wide roads, extensive freeways, and sprawling urban layouts. This auto-centric development allowed rapid expansion, convenience for drivers, and economic growth. However, it also created long-term challenges, including congestion, environmental degradation, and social inequities.

Environmental Consequences

Car-centric cities are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions due to the heavy reliance on vehicles. In Los Angeles, cars account for 93% of mobility, leading to significant carbon emissions. Urban heat islands are exacerbated by miles of asphalt, while air pollution affects public health and quality of life. Moreover, these cities consume vast quantities of non-renewable energy, tying their economic stability to fluctuating global oil prices.

Space Inefficiency

The extensive space dedicated to roads, parking lots, and car-dependent infrastructure often comes at the expense of green areas, affordable housing, and community spaces. For example, Los Angeles has over 25 square miles of surface parking lots, enough to host tens of thousands of homes or parks if repurposed. This inefficient land use leads to urban sprawl, making public transport and walking less viable.

Challenges in Retrofitting

Converting car-centric cities to multimodal or active mobility hubs requires significant investment and innovation. While Dubai has made strides in developing metro systems and walkable districts, extreme weather and cultural norms around car ownership pose additional barriers. Similarly, Los Angeles is expanding its public transport networks and experimenting with redesigning underused spaces, but progress is slow due to entrenched car dependency.

Pre-Automobile Urban Design

Older cities like London, Tokyo, and Berlin were designed before automobiles dominated urban planning. These cities feature compact neighbourhoods, narrow streets, and dense layouts that naturally support walking and public transport. Such designs, while human-centric, still face challenges from the automobile era, including traffic congestion and air pollution.

Adapting Historic Layouts

Adapting human-centric cities to modern sustainability goals involves leveraging existing infrastructure. London, for instance, has invested heavily in bike lanes, pedestrian zones, and public transit expansions. Its long-term mobility goals include achieving 80% of all trips by sustainable modes by 2041. Meanwhile, Tokyo employs innovative solutions like automated bike parking silos and extensive subway systems to enhance mobility without overhauling its historic character.

Urbanization Pressures

The global trend toward urbanization is affecting both types of cities. Human-centric cities must accommodate growing populations without exacerbating congestion. Strategies such as car-free zones and urban tolls have helped cities like Singapore and London manage increasing demand while promoting sustainability.

Shared Goals: Reducing Car Dependency

Both car-centric and human-centric cities share the overarching goal of reducing reliance on automobiles. This involves prioritizing people, promoting sustainable mobility, and reclaiming urban spaces for public use.

Promoting Active Mobility

Active mobility—walking and cycling—is central to urban sustainability. Copenhagen’s express bike network, for instance, has demonstrated that investing in cycling infrastructure can yield substantial public health and environmental benefits. Similarly, cities like London and Amsterdam have created extensive bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly zones, encouraging residents to opt for greener travel options.

Expanding Public Transit

Public transportation is the backbone of sustainable cities. Hong Kong sets a global benchmark with 71% of its mobility needs met by transit systems. Cities like New York and London are expanding subway lines and investing in electrified buses to further reduce car dependency. In Singapore, initiatives like integrated transit hubs and digital ticketing systems make public transit seamless and attractive.

Reclaiming Urban Space

Many cities are rethinking how they use urban space. Barcelona’s "superblocks" restrict traffic within designated zones, transforming streets into pedestrian-friendly areas. In Oslo, car-free programs have turned parking lots into public squares, while Helsinki plans to make private car ownership obsolete by 2025 with its on-demand mobility services. These initiatives illustrate how reimagining urban design can improve livability and environmental outcomes.

Key Differences in Approaches

While both city archetypes aim to reduce automobile reliance, their paths differ significantly:

1. Investment Scale: Car-centric cities require more extensive changes, including building transit systems from scratch and retrofitting urban spaces. In contrast, human-centric cities can optimize existing infrastructure.

2. Cultural Shifts: Car-centric cities must overcome cultural attachments to car ownership. Public awareness campaigns, incentives for using public transit, and policies like congestion charges play crucial roles.

3. Environmental Impact: Electrification of vehicles is often prioritized in car-centric cities, whereas human-centric cities focus on decarbonizing energy grids and enhancing public transit.

Conclusion: Building People-Centric Futures

Transforming urban mobility is essential for creating sustainable, livable cities. Car-centric cities like Dubai and Los Angeles face the dual challenge of retrofitting infrastructure and changing cultural norms around car ownership. Meanwhile, human-centric cities like London and Tokyo must modernize their systems to handle growing populations and evolving mobility demands.

Both types of cities offer lessons for future urban planning. By prioritizing people over vehicles, investing in active mobility and public transit, and reclaiming urban spaces for communal use, cities can pave the way for a sustainable future. The journey may be complex, but the rewards—cleaner air, healthier communities, and vibrant public spaces—are well worth the effort.