More than 10,000 business, government and research leaders will gather in the birthplace of America’s auto industry – Detroit, Michigan – from 7-11 September 2014 to showcase the latest transport innovations and share ideas and strategies for modernising transport at the 21st World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who will serve as Chair of the World Congress Honorary Committee, said Detroit is the logical choice to host the world’s transport leaders. “When you come to the Motor City, you’ll discover a world rich in automotive history and immersed in the technologies that will define the future of transportation,” he said. “The automotive industry began here and intelligent transport will continue here. That’s why we’re so excited to host the ITS World Congress.”
The ITS World Congress is the world’s largest transport technology exhibition, alternating each year between the Americas, Europe and Asia. The event brings national, regional and local officials together with global transportation innovators, business leaders, investors, researchers, and entrepreneurs with the goal of advancing high-tech solutions to improve transport safety, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity.
“When the next generation of Detroiters looks back and talks about the Motor City’s successful comeback, we hope the investments being made today in automotive innovation, transport technologies and our future business will be a central part of that story as well as the civic leaders who are making it happen,” said Kirk Steudle, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Vice Chair of the World Congress Honorary Committee.
“We live in an increasingly connected world, with technology changing not only the way we live, work and travel but also how businesses and our nation compete in the global economy,” said Scott Belcher, president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) which hosts the World Congress. “From connected and autonomous vehicles to advanced traffic management systems and real-time traffic, transit and parking apps, the World Congress will showcase technologies that are changing transportation today as well as next generation innovations that are reinventing mobility for future generations.”
“Detroit is a resurgent town and I know the automakers, local businesses and public officials from across the region are excited to host the world’s top transport and high-tech leaders here in southeast Michigan,” said Jim Barbaresso, Chairman of the World Congress Organizing Committee and Vice President for ITS at HNTB Corporation. “As we focus on reinventing transport, it’s only fitting that innovators from across the globe will be coming together in America’s original Motor City, which knows a thing or two about reinvention.”
The 2014 ITS World Congress Honorary Committee includes the following members:
- The Honourable Rick Snyder, Governor of Michigan (Chair)
- Mr Kirk Steudle, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation (Vice Chair)
- The Honourable Carl Levin, United States Senate
- The Honourable Debbie Stabenow, United States Senate
- The Honourable John D. Dingell, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable John Conyers, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Sander Levin, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Fred Upton, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Dave Camp, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Mike Rogers, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Candice S. Miller, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Gary Peters, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Tim Walberg, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Kerry Bentivolio, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honourable Mike Duggan, Mayor, City of Detroit
- The Honourable Eddie Francis, Mayor, City of Windsor, Ontario
- The Honourable Robert Ficano, Wayne County Executive
- The Honourable Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive
- The Honourable L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive
- Mr Sandy Baruah, President and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber
- Dr Mary Sue Coleman, President, University of Michigan
- Mr Michael A. Finney, President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
- Mr Paul Hillegonds, Chair, Governing Board, Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan
- Mr Matt Marchand, President and CEO, Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Ms Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors Company
- Mr Erik Berkman, President, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
- Dr Sung Hwan Cho, President, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc.
- Ms Françoise Colpron, Group President, North America, Valeo
- Mr William C. Ford, Jr., Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company
- Mr Dan Gilbert, Chairman, Quicken Loans, Inc.
- Mr John A. James, Chairman & CEO, James Group International
- Mr Timothy Leuliette, President & CEO, Visteon Corporation
- Mr Sergio Marchionne, Chairman & CEO, Chrysler Group LLC
- Mr Seiya Nakao, President, Toyota Technical Center, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Mr Rodney O’Neal, CEO and President, Delphi Automotive
- Mr Robert Paul, President & CEO, Compuware
- Mr Roger S. Penske, Chairman, Penske Corporation
- Mr Ken Rogers, Executive Director, Automation Alley
- Ms Danielle Russell, Industry Director, Automotive, Google
- Mr Robert J. Slimp, CEO, HNTB Infrastructure
- Mr Hikaru “Howard” Sugi, President and CEO, Denso International America, Inc
Produced by ITS America in partnership with ERTICO – ITS Europe and ITS Asia-Pacific, the 2014 ITS World Congress will draw delegates from more than 65 countries including numerous transport ministers. The World Congress will also feature ITS America’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, which will host interactive technology showcases on Michigan’s Belle Isle, more than 250 programmatic panels, roundtables, and interactive town hall sessions, a 350,000 square-foot exhibition in the newly refurbished Cobo Hall, and numerous networking and media events with ITS industry leaders from across the world.
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) recently launched the event website, www.itsworldcongress.org, which includes registration, exhibit, technology showcase, and sponsorship information and will also serve as the real-time platform for all news-related items related to the show.
