The History of Micromobility

Abstract

Although it has been a part of our lives for a long time, it is difficult to pinpoint when micromobility, as a concept, actually began. This is because, up until almost two centuries ago, the speeds provided by micromobility vehicles were considered high within the transportation system. Therefore, it is quite challenging to define where micromobility diverges from general mobility. For this reason, in this chapter, the history of the transportation system is briefly examined first. The development of roads in the context of the need for transportation is discussed, linking it to human history, followed by a focus on the emergence of different types of transportation. After discussing the current situation, new and innovative transportation systems are briefly mentioned, and some insights are provided on what can be expected in the future. Then, the historical development of the bicycle, along with its different types and models, is discussed with support of figures. Lastly, the development of scooters, with a particular focus on shared e-scooter systems, is briefly summarized by examining some historical examples. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.