New JRC report analyses emerging transport technologies and trends in European R&I activities

The report presents an overview of new and emerging technologies in the field of transport, which have the potential to achieve the goals of the European digital agenda, the European Green Deal, and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (SSMS).

Based on the Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) as well as external sources, including scientific trends, policy and industry interest, the report provides an overview of of the main megatrends driving transport research and innovation, exploring a selection of cross-cutting digital technologies and transport-specific technologies.

Each megatrend is presented from both global and transport-specific point of view, followed by a summary of related high-level EU policies and legislation, drawing the connection between the megatrends, EU strategy, and the selected technologies. For each presented technology, a rationale and technology background is included, as well as state of the art, European R&I activities, and alignment with the EU policy goals.

One of these megatrends is automation (of working tasks, and as for transport automation, of the driving task as well as of traffic control or infrastructure maintenance):

“Connected and automated multimodal mobility is one of the flagship objectives of the SSMS. The document advocates for deployment of automated mobility at large scale by 2030, recognizing its potential for reducing pollution and congestion. The strategy envisions Europe to become a leader in CCAM technologies, calling for development of a common R&I agenda and harmonization of traffic rules and regulations.“

Download the full report here