The 30th ITS World Congress in Dubai was a landmark event for ERTICO, showcasing the latest advancements in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Building on existing collaborations with its Partners and key stakeholders, we also had the opportunity to welcome new global partnerships. Hosting the European Pavilion, we featured a range of EU-funded projects and innovation platforms, reinforcing our leadership role in advancing smart mobility solutions across Europe and beyond. From high-level discussions and groundbreaking presentations, our presence was marked by dynamic engagements and collaborative efforts throughout the week.
Showcasing European Innovation to the Global Audience
The ERTICO European Pavilion served as a focal point for attendees to explore some of our active EU-funded projects and Innovation Platforms, amongst many other activities, including the partnership opportunities and our co-exhibiting colleagues from ITS Austria, DISCO EU-funded project and the city of Seville, next host for the ITS European Congress 2025. We also showcased the next EMEA ITS World Congress in 2027 which will be hosted in the city of Birmingham by West Midlands.
Beyond our role as the main organiser of the ITS World Congress, the team also played an active role in contributing to many discussions throughout the Congress programme. The team presented in various sessions that reflected the work and innovative advancements achieved through some of the projects and platforms. Discover more about the contributions of all activities here.
Active Contribution to Global Discussions
ERTICO’s Chairman, Dr Angelos Amditis and CEO, Joost Vantomme, voiced ERTICO’s activities and relevance throughout the week by engaging in various bilateral meetings and high-level sessions, including the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as International Forums and Special Interest Sessions (SIS). They also leveraged the collaboration with ERTICO’s Partners and increased the action radius of all activities. A great sync was also made with the team of the European Commission and governmental authorities from across the globe.
One of the many highlights was marked by the Royal welcome from His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum during the official Opening Ceremony, as well as the royal exhibition visit by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. Accompanied by the ERTICO Chairman, this distinguished visit provided an excellent opportunity to present our mission and vision for smart mobility, including some European projects in shaping the future of transport. Dr Stephane Dreher and Dr Tamara Djukic, PhD, showcased some of the leading European projects, highlighting the commitment to collaborative innovation in the field of intelligent transport systems through their presentations of EAVP, CCAM SUNRISE, and the ERTICO coordinated-metaCCAZE project.
The Future of Mobility Summit marked another key milestone, convening global leaders and decision-makers from all corners of the world to explore the potential of developing global indicators that could serve as benchmarks for sustainable mobility. For the first time representatives from 20 countries, local governments, and international organisations to discuss the important need for a unified framework and actionable steps to achieve global sustainability goals, marking a significant step in our joint commitment to advancing smart, sustainable mobility.
During the week we also had the honour to announce two Awards, the first one for Local Government Award to our Partner in Austria, the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, and the second, the Industry Award SWARCO.
Launch of the New Innovation Platform
ERTICO introduced the new ITS-driven Innovative Aerial Services (IDI) platform, which aims to integrate aerial technologies, such as drones, into the broader transport ecosystem. This platform will support the development of innovative solutions for urban air mobility and other aerial services. For more information about this groundbreaking initiative, read the full article here.
Voices of Women in ITS: A Highlight of the Week
One of the standout sessions of the Congress was the ‘Global Voices of Women in ITS’ panel at the ERTICO European Pavilion. This inspiring session with Agne Vaitekenaite, Diana Willert, Susan Harris, Paula Claytonsmith, Lidia Buenavida Peña, and supported by Rita Bhandari, provided a forum to share their professional experiences, challenges, and opportunities, but also highlighted the importance of diversity, representation, and empowerment in shaping the future of intelligent transport.
Strengthening Global Partnerships
The ITS World Congress provided numerous opportunities for us to engage with global partners and stakeholders. CEO Joost Vantomme collaborated with ITS UK in a joint panel with the Transport Technology Forum (TTF) and together with Chairman Dr Angelos Amditis, they participated in the welcome breakfast held on the last day at the ITS UK Pavilion. On this occasion, they introduce the 2027 ITS World Congress in Birmingham following the official announcement earlier this month.
We also renewed our strategic partnership with China ITS Industry Alliance, reinforcing a long-standing collaboration aimed at promoting the adoption of intelligent transport solutions and driving forward joint research and development activities across the regions.
Building on the strengthening efforts with the region, we also established closer relations by reaffirming our collaboration agreement with ITS China. This joint commitment will continue to foster research and innovation to further support the development of cooperative ITS and automated driving solutions, enhancing global mobility standards.
As the third advancement in our thought leadership role, we signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) through its Transportation Research Board (TRB) to enhance transportation research and development by sharing knowledge, promoting professional growth, and advancing mutual goals in the sector. This collaboration reflects the shared vision to shape the future of transportation through collaborative research, information exchange, and educational initiatives. The organisations will now focus on collaboration to address mobility challenges and develop new technologies, supporting the sustainable growth of the ITS sector globally.
For the first time in the history of the ITS World Congress, India made a significant debut with its pavilion, led by the ITS India Forum. The India Pavilion, which attracted a wide array of global policymakers and industry leaders, showcased innovative solutions focused on road safety and sustainable mobility. The event marked a pivotal moment for India’s participation in the global ITS community, reflecting the country’s growing influence and commitment to advancing transport technologies.
The Next Chapter of Engagement with the Middle East
Together with representatives of national authorities and organisations from the GCC region, we convened to discuss the potential of establishing a collaborative ITS Middle East chapter. This marked the continuing ERTICO leadership in innovation as a legacy following the first edition of the ITS World Congress in the region.
The gathering resulted in great interest by all parties to explore this avenue of cooperation between Europe, GCC and the global reach. Mutual exchange and understanding of our mobility challenges are paramount. A joint upgrade of intelligence and capacity building can be a first step.
Networking Opportunities
ERTICO’s traditional reception at the Congress provided a valuable platform for engaging with key stakeholders from across the globe. We also joined the other two regions’ receptions, ITS America and ITS Asia-Pacific, hosted by ITS Korea. Respectively, they introduced the next two editions of the ITS World Congresses which will be held in Atlanta, USA (2025) and Gangneung, South Korea (2026).
Another key highlight of the three regions’ active contribution was witnessed during the closing ceremony with the symbolic passing of the globe. This ceremonial gesture represented the shared responsibility and united commitment to driving the ITS agenda forward, concluded with the globe being handed over to Atlanta, the next host for the 31st ITS World Congress, 24-28 August 2025. This act encapsulated the spirit of global collaboration, setting the stage for future dialogues and innovations in intelligent transport.
Meeting with Partners & ITS Nationals
We leveraged our network during the Congress by organising the traditional Partner Tours, visiting exhibiting partners and learning about their latest innovations and developments. These interactions are highly valuable for ERTICO in strengthening the existing partnerships, but also identifying new avenues for collaboration. The engagements were instrumental in exploring potential joint initiatives and expanding the impact of intelligent transport solutions globally. These meetings truly underscore our joint commitment to continue building collaborative networks that support the development of cutting-edge ITS technologies.
ERTICO also hosted the 14th International ITS Association Meeting, where global ITS representatives and industry leaders convened to discuss critical issues shaping the future of intelligent transport. Key presentations addressed the European advancements and policy developments, the Asia-Pacific region’s pressing issue of natural disasters and how ITS can play a vital role in disaster preparedness and response and ITS America’s key goals and milestones to develop a secure, interoperable, and connected transportation system, emphasising the role of data, AI, and digital infrastructure in enhancing mobility systems. During the open session, participants expressed the need for pragmatic approaches to adapt to legislative changes, particularly in smaller countries, and called for increased international cooperation. They expressed gratitude to ERTICO for organising the meeting and called for mutual collaboration with invitations extended to explore how ITS deployment is being implemented in various countries. The meeting concluded with a strong commitment to ongoing dialogue and cooperation, underscoring the importance of global partnerships in driving sustainable, smart mobility forward.
Concluding Three Decades in Dubai: Looking ahead to a New Era
The 30th ITS World Congress in Dubai was a resounding success for ERTICO, showcasing its leadership in intelligent transport systems and its dedication to fostering global partnerships.
On the final day during the closing award ceremony, we had the great please of announcing the winners of the Best Research Papers and Best Session Awards for their outstanding contributions to advancing mobility solutions during the week:
Best Rated Session Award: SFS 6 How AI Could Reshape the Future of Mobility – entering the Dragon’s Den – Carolien Mazal, TomTom Location Technology Germany GmbH
Best Research Paper Award EMEA: RP 333 Real-time Object and Event Detection Service through Computer Vision and Edge Computing – Marcos Mendes, Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal
Best Technical Paper Award EMEA: TP 223 Exchange of operationally valuable and safety-critical data within ecosystems, Jani Kariniemi, Fintraffic Road Ltd, Finland
Best Research Paper Award AMERICAS: RP 484 Quantifying the Impact of Bottlenecks on Network Performance and Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram, Hao Yang, Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Canada
Best Technical Paper Award AMERICAS: TP 111 Unlocking the promise of CAV technology in Ottawa, Omar Choudhry, City of Ottawa, Canada
Best Research Paper Award ASIA-PACIFIC: RP 253 Using SlowFast Networks for Near-Miss Incident Analysis in Dashcam Videos, Yucheng Zhang, R&D Division, Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd., Japan
Best Technical Paper Award ASIA-PACIFIC: TP 72 Statistical Methodology for Roadway Free Flow Speed Estimation for ITS Application, Katherine Cai Xuefen, Land Transport Authority, Singapore
The success of this year’s ITS World Congress is a testament to the incredible teamwork and collaboration within the ERTICO team and with the support of the colleagues at MCI and host RTA. This achievement also reflects our core values, which are deeply embedded in its HR programme and emphasise the importance of working together towards common goals.
The collective efforts and spirit of collaboration will continue to drive ERTICO’s future successes as we prepare to continue the momentum for the next ITS European Congress, held in the vibrant city of Seville, 2-4 June 2025. This event will offer another unique opportunity for all industry leaders to explore the latest innovations across Europe, and further build on the connections made this year.
We look forward to welcoming you to Seville for another inspiring and impactful event.
