Wisk – New Opportunities for Equitable Transport
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Despite dramatic evolutions in mobility and transportation technology in recent decades, the quality of mobility experiences remains low for many. Public transit systems continue to face considerable challenges in delivering consistent and efficient services. Despite the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) three decades ago, individuals with disabilities still face significant barriers to mobility across public and private transit.
This white paper, “eVTOL Air Taxis: New Opportunities for Equitable Transport,” explores how the emerging field of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft can revolutionise urban mobility. It outlines initial learnings and a guiding framework for the potential of AAM and eVTOLs to offer safe, fast, and affordable alternatives to long and stressful commutes, with a particular focus on addressing the mobility needs of people with disabilities.
The findings underscore the need for AAM to reconsider long-standing industry definitions of accessibility, and deliver on five distinct levels:
Access: Ensuring physical and informational access for people with disabilities in mobility spaces and services.
Physical Safety: Addressing concerns related to physical injury, exposure to illness, and discomfort during travel.
Emotional Safety: Mitigating the stress, vulnerability, and unpredictability experienced during travel, including invasive security checks and negative interactions with fellow passengers.
Equal Expenditure & Efficiency: Removing inequities around service availability, waiting times, energy expenditure, and the need for extensive support to navigate transport systems and infrastructure.
Joy & Inclusion: Facilitating positive emotional and social aspects of travel for all passengers, in part by removing experiences likely to create feelings of isolation and marginalization.
AAM aims to create a mobility ecosystem that delivers safety, equitable access, efficiency, connection, and enjoyment, thereby transforming everyday lives and routines. By thinking about accessibility early in their design and development processes, AAM stakeholders can unlock the full potential of this transformative mode of urban mobility — ensuring it serves people both with and without disabilities.