ITS World Congress Topic Spotlight: ITS and the Environment
The theme of the 2018 ITS World Congress is ‘ITS – Quality of life’ and the Congress will explore a range of topics, including ‘ITS and the Environment’. There are countless environmental benefits of ITS. Mobility as a Service (MaaS) apps can be used to help commuters choose the greenest route available and connected & automated vehicles can interact with road infrastructure to ensure a smoother drive and reduced emissions.
‘ITS and the Environment’ is also a topic which holds a special significance to the host city. The city of Copenhagen has some ambitious environmental goals: it aims to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital city by the year 2025. In order to achieve this goal, Copenhagen has embraced ITS to make mobility in the city greener, healthier and safer.
Next year at the ITS European Congress in the Brainport area, this topic will also be explored in depth. The Netherlands is widely known for efficiency and it is no shock that the ministry encourages the development of new technologies and smarter forms of mobility. In the Netherlands mobility is gradually evolving into a service which makes the means of transport increasingly irrelevant. There is also a targeted strategy to reduce CO2 emissions, develop new transport concepts and improve accessibility to urban areas. This strategy goes hand in hand with smarter and greener transport and the development of self-driving vehicles, smart-shipping and future developments such as drone transport. This will also contribute to energy neutral and sustainable infrastructure and modes of transport.
ERTICO – ITS Europe: Working towards green mobility solutions
ERTICO – ITS Europe facilitates the development and deployment of smart mobility in Europe and connects stakeholders to make this a reality. After 25 years of work, ERTICO is now looking ahead with ‘Vision 2030’ which outlines a shared vision for the future of mobility.
Using ITS to reduce environmental impacts is a major priority for ERTICO. In 2017, a position paper entitled ‘ITS for Clean Mobility’ was published, outlining how ITS can be used to reduce carbon emissions. To work towards this goal, ERTICO supports a number of Eco-driving initiatives throughout Europe. ERTICO is focused on ensuring the interoperability of ITS systems and working with service providers to help define regulatory frameworks and facilitate continuity of service across borders.
Speaking about the topic of ‘ITS and the Environment’, Jacob Bangsgaard, CEO of ERTICO – ITS Europe, had this to say:
“ERTICO works to reduce the impact of transport on the environment through new technology and business models. Together with our Partners, we promote electro-mobility solutions and Mobility as a Service schemes. Copenhagen has made incredible progress in creating a cleaner city through the use of public transport and bicycles, in addition to investments in road infrastructure. The adoption of cooperative ITS and automation is making the city more efficient and is setting an example for many other cities in Europe”
Join us in Copenhagen from 17–21 September for the 25th ITS World Congress
Find out what you can do to help create greener cities by attending sessions and discussions presented by experts at the ITS World Congress. You’ll hear about new and exciting ways in which ITS can be used to create greener cities by attending the ITS World Congress.
Attendees will also be able to experience Copenhagen’s green mobility solutions first-hand thanks to a new MaaS app, called “MinRejseplan”, which has been developed especially for the congress. The app will provide free public transportation to all delegates for trains, metros, buses, and harbour-ferries. It will also give information on private transportation options such as taxis and bicycle-sharing.
