White Paper Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility (SEAM) Governance Framework Prototype for North America and Europe

The World Economic Forum presents a SEAM Governance Framework Prototype designed to help cities transition to sustainable urban passenger mobility. The framework consists of four phases: establishing governance work principles, setting a vision and goals, packaging policy instruments (focused on space and cost levers), and forming reliable policy evaluation mechanisms. It emphasizes a multi-stakeholder approach and the use of real-world data to tailor governance to local contexts, aiming for a reduction in emissions and improved urban quality of life.

• The SEAM Governance Framework Prototype is structured into four distinct phases: (i) governance work principles, (ii) governance visions and goals, (iii) a governance instrumentation guide, and (iv) policy evaluation tools.
• The framework advocates for the use of two primary governance levers—space and cost—to manage SEAM instrumentation. Space levers involve rethinking parking and curb-space to prioritize high-occupancy and electric modes, while cost levers focus on redesigning cost structures to account for environmental and societal externalities.
• The document argues that shared, electric, and automated mobility are complementary; when combined correctly, they have the potential to reduce emissions by 45% to 95%.
• Effective SEAM governance requires a dynamic, inclusive approach involving public-sector, private-sector, and community stakeholders to avoid 'regulatory patchwork' and ensure policies are based on real-world data.
• The framework provides a library of specific policy actions, such as streamlining permits for charging infrastructure, expanding high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and offering corporate mobility budgets as alternatives to personal car leases.
• Policy evaluation for SEAM is complicated by several high-severity uncertainties, including changing travel behaviours, future technology developments, and the influence of legal systems regarding liability.

APA

World Economic Forum (2019). White Paper Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility (SEAM) Governance Framework Prototype for North America and Europe. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Governance_Framework_US_UE_Prototype.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. White Paper Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility (SEAM) Governance Framework Prototype for North America and Europe. 2019. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Governance_Framework_US_UE_Prototype.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=White Paper Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility (SEAM) Governance Framework Prototype for North America and Europe |date=May 2019 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Governance_Framework_US_UE_Prototype.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2019white, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{White Paper Shared, Electric and Automated Mobility (SEAM) Governance Framework Prototype for North America and Europe}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Governance_Framework_US_UE_Prototype.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }