Hot on the heels of the Assises de la mobilité consultation, inaugurated by the French government in September 2017 to generate new ideas, setec is helping push the boundaries thanks to its expertise in mobility and transport engineering!
“Transport is undergoing a revolution. Together, it is our role to build a new policy for the mobility of the future.” This call to action was made by Elisabeth Borne, the French Minister of Transport, as part of the Assises de la Mobilité consultation that took place between September and midDecember 2017. In response, setec offered its expertise, actively participating in the work of the Assises on a new mobility law, which has been presented during the first semester of 2018. Drawing on its experience on numerous projects in France and abroad, setec proposed a global approach to mobility and transport aimed at boosting the effectiveness of transport networks and offering mobility services for all. While these challenges have always been a key focus for setec, Eric Pérard, managing director of setec its, acknowledged “an acceleration over the last two years, especially due to mobility 3.0 initiatives.” setec’s key strength? Having a comprehensive vision of mobility in three main areas:
1) marketing and design,
2) planning and socio-economic issues,
3) technical, organizational, operating, security and pricing engineering for new solutions (on-demand transport, connected/driverless vehicles, etc.) and the relevant support services (traveler information, tolls/ticketing, reservations, etc.)
Multi-specialist engineering with a guarantee of independence
As the urban population continues to grow, setec is helping local authorities with their organization and development through major infrastructure projects such as the Grand Paris Express rapid transit network, by providing design and engineering services and implementing the right solutions to meet everyday mobility needs. One of setec’s strengths is its independence, which enables it to pursue the public interest, essential to the value of each mobility project, with its clients and partners. “Thanks to its independent, multi-specialist vision of engineering, setec can position itself as an urban planning and mobility expert,” underlined Eric Perard.
This independence enables the group to take on the roles of designer, engineer and consultant for public authorities, bringing its comprehensive vision to each new mobility project. For Karim Aït-Ali, director of the urban projects department at setec organisation, “While mobility is one of the main objectives of town and regional planning, it is essential to match operational performance with quality of life and ease of use. To function well and remain attractive, cities must combine and reconcile all modes of transportation, especially active mobility, through the right public facilities.” To carry out urban transport and mobility assignments in France and abroad, numerous subsidiaries are involved at every step. “setec contributes expertise at every level, from network development strategy, traffic modeling, ticketing strategies, transport system development, infrastructure and urban development to project implementation, assistance and consulting advice.” Imagining new forms of urban mobility requires the kind of global vision that setec offers. For example, urban car-sharing, a critical way to combat solo driving, typically requires an understanding of both existing infrastructure developments (car parks, dedicated lanes, electric charging stations, etc.) and the overall mobility offering (traditional, on-demand and active transport, and integrated fares).
Optimizing existing infrastructure and promoting new mobility services
“Mobility is evolving significantly, driven by new technological possibilities (3.0, mobile and collaborative internet, driverless vehicles, clean engines, etc.), as well as social developments (social networks, citizen awareness, expectations for cleanliness, etc.),” commented Eric Perard. Thanks to its multi-specialist engineering skills, setec is positioned at the intersection of different worlds, such as transport infrastructure, digital technology, and car/train manufacturing.” Although France is widely equipped with infrastructure, the country’sfuture will depend on the renovation and optimization of its existing services, as well as the development of a new form of transport solution: mobility as a service.
“setec has always demonstrated its ability to adapt to major evolutions, in tune with its times. When it comes to mobility, setec has been at the forefront of new services, being positioned at the convergence of infrastructure and digital technology with setec its for more than 20 years.” Eric Perard, Managing Director, setec its.
The aim is to enable users to access a multitude of solutions through a single travel pass, seamlessly combining public transport, car-sharing, on-demand transport, electric charging stations, self-service bicycles, and more. Given these changes in mobility and the need to adopt an environmentally friendly approach, setec has updated its expertise and developed new engineering services alongside construction, integrating marketing, pricing, business models and so on.