Conceptualizing the mobility design gender gap: a scoping review and framework proposal

The current transportation system lacks gender inclusivity, often reflecting the characteristics of an average, male body. This creates gender gaps by favoring male needs, leading to exclusivity by neglecting women’s needs. Research has already identified gender gaps in the transportation system: the mobility gender gap, which reflects overlooked gender-specific mobility behavior; the decision-making gender gap, which considers gender-unfair mobility-related decisions; and the gender data gap, which highlights the lack of gender-specific mobility-related data. This paper defines a conceptual framework targeting an additional facet of inequality: the Mobility Design Gender Gap (MDGG). The MDGG describes the fact that the interior of transport modes in passenger transport is primarily designed to serve the needs of an average, male body. The MDGG is investigated with a scoping literature review in combination with a qualitative content analysis. We detected 70 relevant papers and identified four categories where the MDGG manifests: safety and security, sanitary needs, usability and comfort. These categories represent crucial areas to improve transport‑mode interior-design, ensuring parity between women’s and men’s needs. We discuss future research directions and propose strategies to close the MDGG.