The organisers of the major Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Birmingham in October 2027 have proposed four thematic areas that the event will concentrate on.

They’re around humanising safe, smart, multi-modal mobility, a sustainable resilient planet, breakthrough technology for the next era of transport and business strategies to fuel growth, prosperity and quality of life.

These four thematic areas will underpin the technical programme, demonstrations and exhibitions.  They were chosen after an in-depth review of the ITS industry by experts from organisers ERTICO – ITS Europe and hosts Transport for West Midlands in consultation with the Congress International Programme Committee (IPC).

The “Humanising safe, smart multi-modal mobility for thriving inclusive communities” stream will look at people-centred and accessible ITS; equity and inclusivity through technology; user preferences, safety, security, privacy, data ethics and emerging trends in user-focussed design; and a more humane and beneficial transport experience.

Included in the “Enabling a sustainable, resilient planet through responsible development and operation” theme are global environmental sustainability and connectivity; decarbonization, clean energy, and sustainable logistics within a circular economy; intelligent traffic management, data-driven strategies, and efficient operations; optimising systems for sustainable and resilient transport; and balancing environmental aims with operational efficiency.

Meanwhile for the “Breakthrough technology pioneering the next era of mobility” subject, areas include transformative potential of advanced ITS technologies;

connected and automated multimodal transport, advanced digital infrastructure and connectivity, intelligent and autonomous systems development; simulation and modelling; emerging and advancing technologies such as Quantum, AI and VR; and next generation of transport solutions for road, rail, air and maritime.

Finally the “Business strategies that fuel growth, drive economic prosperity and enhance our quality of life” topics include economic and business aspects of ITS development and deployment; ITS market dynamics and economic impact, innovative ITS business models and service delivery, funding, investment, and collaboration strategies; data monetization and value creation and sustainable and profitable business models that support the growth and adoption of ITS technologies.

“We’re keen to discuss and showcase the value of ITS in everyone’s day-to-day lives, and not just have a talking shop of nice ideas,” explained Chris Lane of Transport for West Midlands, who is overseeing the region’s preparations for the event.  “I’m confident that these four thematic areas deliver that and will give real value to everyone coming to Birmingham for the Congress so transport authorities will find solutions to save money, improve safety or boost efficiency, while the supply chain will learn new opportunities to boost their bottom lines.”

Rita Bhandari, Senior Manager, Programme & Knowledge Integration at ERTICO added: “The International Programme Committee has shaped themes that reflect the issues highest on the global mobility agenda. Their expertise ensures a Programme built around priority areas where innovation can translate into real deployment and deliver measurable benefits for society.”

Companies looking to take part in the Congress can download a brochure outlining the commercial opportunities, while the IPC, which includes experts representing ITS America and ITS Asia-Pacific, prepares to launch the call for contributions for papers and special interest sessions next October.

This will be the first time in 21 years that the UK has hosted the Congress, after it was held in London in 2006.  The 33rd ITS World Congress takes place at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham from 25 to 29 October 2027 and is expected to welcome more than 15,000 people from around the world.

(Picture – TfWM)

We have content from both sides of this vast country, as we include some interviews we couldn’t squeeze into our programmes from the ITS Australia Summit last week, plus head to Perth to look at cutting edge solutions in the really go-ahead state of Western Australia.

These podcasts are brought to you thanks to the support of TomTom, Nicander, AGD Systems Australia, TraceMark Flow an NGIS Solution, Westcotec and TRL.

Today Paul Hutton reports again from Australia and talks to one of the world’s leading experts in automated vehicle technology, and to AGD about growing the business Down Under, and also how to best work together when you’re 10 thousand miles apart.  He also learns about Deloitte’s new planning tool and about major event in New Zealand that’s come up.  Meanwhile in Perth we hear from the state of Western Australia embracing vast amounts of technology to manage a busy city area, as well as a vast amount of space, and what happens when a big event taking place doesn’t last as long as expected.

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Today’s guests are:

• Professor Michael Milford – Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics
• Stuart Douglas – MD of AGD Systems Australasia
• Andy Humphries – MD of MAV Systems
• Muneeb Shaikh – Technical Sales Representative at AGD Systems Australasia
• Alex Hendrick – Manager Real Time Traffic Operations at Main Roads Western Australia
• Michael Priest – Network Operations Major Events Manager at Main Roads Western Australia
• Jacob Vidulich – Software Engineer at Deloitte
• Antony Dixon – Chair of ITS New Zealand

On the final day of the ITS Australia Summit on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Paul Hutton talks to more speakers, exhibitors and thought leaders here on Highways Voices, as we discuss global issues and why the US state of Michigan, the birthplace of the American automotive industry, is represented here to explain how it’s transitioning into a leader in connected, automated and electrified transport.

These podcasts are brought to you thanks to the support of TomTom, Nicander, AGD Systems Australia, TraceMark Flow an NGIS Solution, Westcotec and TRL.

Westcotec tell us how technology can change behaviour, not punish it, while Nicander show off their brand new product using dash cams to quickly and accurately update asset registers.

We also hear about better network management with NGIS and look ahead to when the UK welcomes Australia and the world to Birmingham in 2027, and why Australians should be part of it.

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Today’s guests are:

• Michele Mueller, Manager Connected and Automated Vehicles and Electrification at Michigan Department of Transportation
• Olly Samways, Sales Director at Westcotec
• Sam Brierley, Business Development Manager at Nicander
• Oliver Looker, General Manager, Location Intelligence at NGIS
• Chris Lane, Head of Transport Innovation at Transport for West Midlands (UK)
• Angelos Amditis, Chair of Supervisory Board at ERTICO and Chair of ITS Greece
• Susan Harris, CEO of ITS Australia

(Picture shows Susan Harris and Paul Hutton – Highways News)

We’re back on the Gold Coast for Day Two of the ITS Australia Summit, discussing how the future of vehicle safety is moving beyond the vehicle itself thanks to the embracing of C-ITS technologies and how connected data is transforming how roads and emergencies are managed.

In today’s podcast, Paul Hutton talks to AGD Systems, TRL, TomTom, QUT and more, as they share innovations ranging from pedestrian-safety detection and crowd-sourced asset management to automated vehicles in remote regions and the future of large-scale mapping, plus how Brisbane could learn from the London Olympics 2012 as it prepares to host the 2032 Games.

These podcasts are brought to you thanks to the support of TomTom, Nicander, AGD Systems Australia, TraceMark Flow an NGIS Solution, Westcotec and TRL.

We hear how connectivity is delivering road safety today, why technology and human-centric design must work together, and that collaboration is defining the future of transport with the message from so many of the guests that partnerships, between manufacturers, governments, researchers, and technology companies, accelerate innovation, harmonise safety standards and deliver smarter, safer mobility worldwide.

Subscribe to Highways Voices free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or Pocket Casts and never miss an episode!

Today’s guests are:

• Carla Hoorweg, CEO of ANCAP
• Stuart Douglas, MD of AGD Australasia
• Jonathan Brook, MD of The Traffic Group
• Subu Kamal, Head of Product Management & Partnerships at TRL Software
• Toby Hiles, Sales and Partnerships Director at Grid Smarter Cities
• Jennifer Loake, Head of Enterprise Sales – Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, & Korea at TomTom
• Professor Sebastien Glaser of Queensland University of Technology
• Susan Harris, CEO of ITS Australia

(Picture – Highways News)