SXSW 2022 dips toe into the future of mobility

While automotive technology has not traditionally been a core feature at South by Southwest, the annual festival in Austin has, in many respects, been an innovator in finding ways to get people around town. From SXSW shuttle busses, rickshaw-inspired pedicabs and the proliferation of scooters and motorized bicycles, the City of Austin, and South-By in particular, have always made festival navigation relatively simple. For starters, the conference features a dedicated mobility track with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaking on Wednesday. A full lineup of panels covering topics like last-mile mobility, the hyperloop, autonomous vehicles, EVs, electric bicycles, personal air vehicles, delivery, drones, and commercial space travel are also featured. For the first time this year, a major part of the conference will feature the involvement and participation of multiple automotive manufacturers.