Transportation and urbanism present significant challenges to the future of our planet, and to human and non-human species. Rurality presents unique challenges as transport providers and governments must find ways of keeping communities connected to people and places in ways that are both financially and environmentally sustainable. New technologies are being developed such as connected and autonomous transport systems and new data driven personalised on-demand transport, supported with open data platforms, to move people (and goods) around more efficiently and in a more environmentally friendly way. Whilst these concepts offer the prospect of technological innovation and seamless travel, they are sometimes seen to be technologically deterministic and potentially socially exclusive if driven by the technology itself. CeTraM will help to focus more attention on the social aspects of these new technologies, looking at co-design and co-production of technology with transport users from various different backgrounds using iterative workshops alongside stakeholders and designers. Some of the potential research under this theme resonates with key University priorities on ‘The World We Want’ and critical approaches to AI technologies.
