The role of Smart Mobility in enhancing urban transport resilience during COVID-19: A case study of Cologne

Details

Supervisors

Desmet, Carlos ; Eul, Marcus

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Smart Mobility in strengthening urban transport resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the city of Cologne as a case study. While the pandemic disrupted mobility systems worldwide, it also highlighted the importance of adaptable, technology-enabled, and inclusive urban transport. The author developed an analytical framework grounded in the literature and draws on qualitative methods. In Cologne, Smart Mobility tools such as bike-sharing and digital ticketing played a limited role in the resilience of the transport system or, in some cases, were not yet in place. The analysis also revealed institutional fragmentation, limited systemic coordination, and a tendency to treat Smart Mobility as a parallel layer rather than as an integrated component of urban transport strategy. From this case study, two key insights emerged. First, urban resilience is not only reactive, but it also depends fundamentally on what is planned and built in advance. Second, technological innovation alone does not guarantee resilience; only systems that are inclusive, integrated, and operationally mature can activate it when most needed. These findings lead to two core recommendations. First, resilience should be explicitly embedded in Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) as a guiding principle, going beyond emergency preparedness. Second, Smart Mobility tools must evolve beyond pilot programs toward systemic integration and greater operational maturity. Together, these recommendations aim to support cities in building more robust and flexible mobility systems, adaptable not only to future disruptions but also transferable across diverse urban contexts and crisis types.