History

After the 2005 edition of the AutoRAI (Dutch biannual car show), Stichting Natuur en Milieu (the Netherlands Society for Nature and Environment) called a challenge to car manufacturers: on the next AutoRAI (2007), Stichting Natuur en Milieu would show their vision on the sustainable future of cars.

Natuur en Milieu then asked the three technical universities of Delft, Eindhoven and Twente to design a sustainable car. They took this challenge one step further and instead created a vision on a sustainble system of mobility for the future. The c,mm,n concept was born.

In March-April 2007, the c,mm,n concept took centre stage at the AutoRAI. Not only was it located in the middle of the largest hall of the exhibition, it also fuelled the debate going on at the AutoRAI: an environmental organisation presenting not only a car, but a mobility concept in the middle of the AutoRAI! Car manufacturers followed the example and showed their greenest ideas at the AutoRAI as well.

After the AutoRAI 2007, things got a little quiet around c,mm,n, only to emerge in full swing again in 2008. A series of succesfull c,mm,n garages was held, gathering all (potential) developers of the c,mm,n concept together for a day of debating, presenting and exchanging ideas. Plans were made to present surprising new aspects of the concept at the AutoRAI 2009, and these are now being developed further.

Aims

The name c,mm,n represents several of the aims of the concept. First, c,mm,n stands for common. Sustainable solutions for future mobility in general and cars in particular need to be made common rather than exotic, futuristic or too expensive. We need new technologies and services on the street soon, easy and affordable.

Second, c,mm,n stands for communication and community. The design process behind c,mm,n is open for anyone to participate. Ideas, solutions, technological designs are communicated freely to the world. No intellectual property rights or patents should slow sustainability solutions down. But 'open' doesn't mean 'free' of 'cheap'. If you want to participate in c,mm,n, it means you're a serious contributor. You're free to take a good idea from the c,mm,n community and develop it into a marketable product, as long as your developments are returned to the community.

Communication is also at the heart of the information people need to make sustainable choices about their means of transport. And that's what c,mm,n wants to do: enable people to make their own choices in the way they transport themselves. Perhaps today, taking the train is the best option. Which you might find out on the way to your destination. No problem with c,mm,n, because you have all the information and facilities at your fingertips to change your plans for the day instantly.

And at the heart of it all, c,mm,n stands for our common future. This was the title of the UN report by the Bruntland committee, which first introduced the concept of susteinable development. We share one common future. With c,mm,n, we can save the choices and opportunities the choices we have today for future generations.