Mapping the Detroit mobility ecosystem: A case study of a regional initiative centered on future mobility solutions

Abstract

This case study was designed to describe the mobility ecosystem as a part of Detroit's Global Epicenter of Mobility initiative. The initiative's goal is to create the conditions for innovation and cross-sector collaboration in pursuit of large-scale urban mobility transformation. We present findings based on cross-sectional survey data about the types of relationships in the mobility ecosystem. We surveyed a sample of 159 multi-sector organizations using a new mobility ecosystem measurement tool. Sectors spanned Academic, Corporate and Private, Government and Union, and Nonprofits and Foundations entities that were working as a loose coalition on urban and regional mobility efforts. Network analyses found that the mobility network was highly interconnected overall (clustering coefficient =0.70; density = 0.59), but corporate and private sector organizations had some of the lowest centrality scores (e.g., influence, closeness, directly connected). Our findings about the mobility ecosystem's structure and cross-sector relationships align with key principles of innovation ecosystems, which emphasize the importance of collaboration across diverse actors to drive innovation and adaptability.