In the past few weeks respected voices from the automotive industry and beyond have been coming out to have their say on smart mobility.
A couple of weeks ago, Bill Ford, Chairman of the Ford Motor Company, publicly went on record to say that there is a very real prospect of global gridlock within the next generation unless we can find a way for cars to work in harmony with other forms of transport.
Ford backed up his concerns by stating that at the current rate of expansion he feared that the global fleet of cars and trucks would total between two and four billion in number by the middle of the century.
Architect, former Mayor and town planner Jaime Lerner suggested that more cities and urban areas needed to improve transportation links and encourage people to live closer to work. He cited the city of Curitiba in Brazil as an example to follow.
In 1988, Curitiba took the unprecedented step of pedestrianising its town centre and invested heavily in introducing a Reed Integrate de Transported (RIT), an integrated transport system which is now used by around 70 per cent of the population.
Ford and Lerner are not the first to voice their opinions on smart mobility and they certainly won't be the last.
Mobility is the cornerstone of the world's economy. Without the free and reliable movement of goods and services, global markets would disappear and economic growth would cease. As economies in developing and emerging regions of the world continue to grow, people and products are travelling more frequently and more often.
Energy consumption for transport is escalating and current supply sources will soon not be able to meet the ever increasing demand. New approaches to the way we use energy are needed to ensure a sustainable future for us all. This requires smart collaboration and thinking from policymakers, businesses and consumers alike.
Things are certainly being done to address smart mobility and the wider issue of fuel consumption. The new emissions and fuel efficiency standards in the US and UK have prompted car manufacturers to channel more funds into developing more fuel efficient cars.
Energy companies too, have stepped up the pace, developing less carbon intensive products. There is also increasing optimism about the prospects of new and future fuel sources like solar and wind power.
However, the question we all need to ask ourselves is, are we doing enough to safeguard mobility in the future?
CityMobil showcased the results of its five year programme on the development and demonstration of innovative transport technologies for cities in La Rochelle last month which produced some very interesting and encouraging findings for politicians, town planners and the smart mobility industry to take forward.
Many of the world's most respected authorities on smart mobility industry are meeting again this week to discuss the future at an event in London hosted by Energy Opportunities. It will be very interesting, indeed, to hear what they have to say about smart mobility and what we can all to ensure a greener future.
Geoff Cutmore is the host of CNBC's morning show Squawk Box
