SUMMIT THEMES

Emerging technologies, digitalisation, multimodality and smart infrastructures are having a huge impact on traffic management. Which ITS tools can best help road operators manage their network in the most efficient, safe and environmentally friendly way. Questions arise on how to establish seamless connections between roads and vehicles, maintain smooth traffic flow, ensure urban accessibility, facilitate the exchange of traffic management data, and provide road users with intelligent road guidance. Another challenge is how to reduce emissions and measure environmental impacts and incorporate sustainability aspects into our traffic management.

Achieving safety and mobility objectives and developing technologies which focus on road safety and reduce the number of traffic accidents and injuries, creating safe drivers, safe vehicles and safe infrastructure, that is what Vision Zero is all about.

New in-vehicle technologies influence the way we will use our cars; it will influence both road safety as well as the vehicle’s comfort. And well-maintained, high-quality infrastructure that makes use of advanced technologies and best practices are vital to ensuring the safety of all road users. 

How do we achieve our safety & mobility objectives? What are the best policy and technology options to keep our roads safe? How do we optimize incident management to restore traffic flow?

Next generation parking technology optimises parking space usage, improves the efficiency of parking operations and helps urban traffic flow move freely and also creates safe and liveable cities. Smart parking systems to help drivers find economical parking spaces and use phone-enabled automated payment solutions and low-cost sensors to reduce vehicle overcrowding in cities and pollution levels. 

What are the latest parking solutions available? How do we create a seamless customer parking experience? How do we include parking in MaaS offerings? How do we optimise enforcement of parking regulations?

The landscape of transportation is evolving, shifting away from traditional vehicle ownership towards adaptable mobility services and shared infrastructure. Rather than solely considering the mode of transportation, the emphasis is now on the overall travel experience. 

Currently, mobility services are often fragmented, with limited collaboration between different providers. Nevertheless, consumers are increasingly seeking integrated, all-inclusive solutions that offer modern and comfortable user experiences. The vision is to establish a mobility ecosystem where the lines between private, shared, and public transport are blurred. In this ecosystem, residents would have the ability to seamlessly navigate their city using a combination of autonomous vehicles, e-scooters, and existing transportation infrastructure, such as subways, for their daily commute or travel needs.

Cooperative, connected and automated driving will offer new mobility solutions that are cleaner, safer, consumer-centric and create new areas of business for our industry. The reality of driverless cars comes ever closer. While the AI and sensors built into vehicles will power this new technology, their ability to communicate with each other and with smart road infrastructure is vital. 

Car-connectivity and automation will bring considerable economic gains for users such as driver comfort and access to mobility. What are the latest developments with regard to technology and social acceptance? How do road users benefit from these new technologies? How do we get motorists to actually use the available new technologies?

Another significant trend in transportation is the shift towards electrification. 

Electromobility carries substantial health benefits as it contributes to reducing air pollution and noise pollution in both urban and rural areas. Electric vehicles (EVs) have gained increasing popularity in recent years, and numerous countries have announced ambitious plans to transition their vehicle fleets to electric power. Electrification plays a crucial role in meeting the goals outlined in the COP21 agreement by mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change. 
With the integration of smart charging and the potential for bi-directional charging, EVs effectively become mobile batteries. They become valuable assets in grid management and facilitate the greater adoption of renewable energy sources. This sets in motion a positive cycle that helps reduce overall life-cycle emissions by encouraging the adoption of a cleaner electricity grid.