• by Tanya Gazdik , June 25, 2023

Toyota Mobility Foundation is launching a three-year challenge that aims to help cities reduce their carbon footprint, improve access and enhance data-driven concepts for improved public transport systems.

With more than half of the world’s population currently living in cities, the United Nations predicts this will increase to two-thirds by 2050. Additionally, cities are responsible for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Transforming mobility systems will help cities become more inclusive and accessible for the people living in them. Currently, 1.2 billion people living in cities do not have access to one or more core services.

The three chosen cities will work with innovators to tailor solutions to overcome mobility barriers. The deadline for cities to enter via the Sustainable Cities Challenge website is Sept. 18. 

Entry to the first stage of the challenge is open to city leaders and municipal governments, transport departments and other related local and regional agencies.

Shortlisted cities will be invited to attend a capacity building academy in the U.S. and will receive support developing their challenge design, becoming part of a wider network of other innovative city teams.

In February, three winning cities will be selected to host a City Challenge to attract entries from global innovators. Innovators could be homegrown – living in the city or country chosen – or from anywhere across the globe, but with solutions applicable and adapted to the winning cities.

The winning innovators for each city will be announced in late 2024, and the cities and innovators will share $9 million in funding to test and roll out their solutions.

The Sustainable Cities Challenge is funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and has been designed in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute.

Toyota announced its intentions several years ago to be a mobility solutions leader, introducing the tagline “Mobility For All” including plans to begin trying out solutions at the Olympics in 2020. But those plans were curtailed when the Olympics was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.