Design, technology and social innovation: the serious game of traffic O2

Social science and new communication technologies are deeply influencing the transportation domain and new models of urban sustainable development are constantly emerging as new possible solutions. One of the principal reasons is the capability to reach the motivations that foster us to choose one or another urban transportation systems. It is already feasible to develop solutions to implement and root more efficient and sustainable habits in urban transportation. The present exploratory chapter presents the activities conducted by innovation lab PUSH, with the Italian Ministry of Innovation and Research, for the development and the application of the social innovation project “TrafficO2” in the city of Palermo, Italy. The project is a technology driven (mobile app) serious game for sustainable urban mobility that tries to foster citizens, through information and tailor-made incentives, to choose low emission means instead of using cars. The aim of the game is to build up a strong and values-driven self-organized community, able to change the actual urban condition without any command and control policies or any structural change. The system has already been tested with the community of students of Palermo University. This chapter shows the results in terms of CO2 reduction and testers engagement.