Executive Session ES01

Advancing the Deployment of Automated Vehicles: The roles of government

Congress Theme: Automated Vehicles and Cooperative ITS

Moderator:

Mr Steven Dellenback, Vice President R&D, Southwest Research Institute, USA

Speakers:

Ms Claire Depre, Head of ITS Unit at the European Commission, DG MOVE, European Commission

Mr Ken Leonard, Director of ITS Joint Program Office, USDOT, USA

Mr Hidenobu Kubota, Director for International Affairs Office, Engineering Policy Division, Road Transport Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan

Mr Thomas de Laat, Director, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, The Netherlands

Continuing innovations demonstrate that connected automated vehicles and their connectivity to each other and to the roads on which they are deployed will make driving easier, allow people to be more productive and offer greater mobility to a wider range of people and goods than ever before. They will also help improve road safety, reduce emissions and ease congestion. As a result, automated vehicles will provide significant economic, environmental and social benefits, including improving access to goods and services, and encouraging participation in the community. 

Drawing on international experts, this session will explore the opportunities and challenges associated with the adoption of highly automated connected vehicles. Specifically, the role of government will be discussed in terms of its responsibility to ensure their deployment meets the expectations and needs of all concerned. 

Among the considerations that government must address are issues such as the consistency of international technology demonstrations, field operational tests, policies and standards related to connected automated vehicles. At the heart of the conversation is that while policy is often overlooked by technologists, uniform policies are absolutely essential to ensure the adoption of highly automated connected vehicles.

Executive Session ES02

Advancing the Deployment of Automated Vehicles: The roles of industry

Congress Theme: Automated Vehicles and Cooperative ITS

Moderator:

Mr Andrew Somers, Director, Transoptim Consulting, Australia

Speakers:

Mr Christian Rousseau, Executive Expert Leader, Renault Group, France

Mr T. Russell Shields, Chair, Ygomi, LLC, United States

Dr Bernhard Morys, Manager, Mercedes-Benz Cars Daimler Greater China, China

Mr Frank Fosterling, Head of Advanced Development and Innovations, Continental, Germany

Connected automated vehicles are advancing at a rapid pace and the technology has evolved to the point where it is becoming readily available in the market place. The private sector is investing in this technology with the expectation that it will be welcomed on the roadway network.

This session will bring together international automated vehicle leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with deployment of automated vehicles. Specifically, the role of industry will be discussed in terms of their programs and the reason these programs matter to the sponsoring governments.

Executive Session ES03

Realising the Safety and Mobility Benefits of Automated Vehicles and Cooperative ITS Systems

Congress Theme: Vehicle Network and Safety

Moderator:

Mr Ryan Lamm, Director R&D, Southwest Research Institute, USA

Speakers:

Mr Evangelos Bekiaris, Director, CERTH/HIT, Greece

Mr Christopher Mentzer, Manager R&D, Southwest Research Institute, United States

Mr Doug Fryer, Assistant Commissioner, Road Policing Command, Victoria Police, Australia

Mr Takashi Nishio, Director ITS Policy and Program Office, Road Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan

Mr Wolfgang Hoefs, Head of Sector, DG Connect, European Commission

Ms Samantha Cockfield, Senior Manager of Road Safety, Transport Accident Commission, Australia

Combining data from conventional road infrastructure (for example, road signs, sensors, highway radio broadcasting) with the potential goldmine of information emerging from the widespread deployment of connected vehicle and (eventually) automated vehicles has the potential to significantly reduce the number of crashes around the world. 

Although the deployment of these technologies poses multiple challenges, the expected safety benefits should be identified and quantified so that both governments and business can make the necessary investments necessary to realize these benefits. For example, it has been suggested that V2V and V2I could reduce the millions of crashes that occur each year by as much as 80%, saving lives and reducing injuries.

Under the expectations above, in this session, we will focus on how to efficiently improve road traffic flow and road safety by using automated vehicles and cooperative ITS systems. Then we will focus on how the industry should begin to quantify the safety payback of them, underscoring that not only does the traveling public benefit, so also do public agencies, and companies involved in the movement of goods and services with lives saved, congestion minimized, and taxpayer funds reduced in addressing these traffic incidents.

Executive Session ES04

Realising the Promise of Big and Open Data: Practical trade-offs between benefits, costs, security and privacy

Congress Theme: Challenges and Opportunities of Big Open Data

Moderator:

Mr Leon Daniels, Tfl, United Kingdom

Speakers:

Mr Nick Cohn, Big Data Senior Expert, TOM TOM, The Netherlands

Mr Malcolm Dougherty, Director, CalTrans, USA

Mr Tagui Ichikawa, Counsellor, National Strategy Office of ICT, Cabinet Secretariat, Japan

Mr Peter Sweatman, Principal, CAVita, USA

Big Data technology is transforming just about every sphere of life including ITS markets and value chains. Open Data is potentially a key building block for ITS where efficiency and effectiveness depend on access to information, especially real-time, about traffic flows, weather conditions, driver behaviour, and so on.

Most local, regional and national governments now embrace the principle of Open Data but its realisation is uneven and often hindered by arguments about costs and payment. Big Data properly implemented is an unprecedented driver for ITS business development but it also brings concerns about the protection and security of personal information.

This session will look across Big and Open data and explore how trade-offs can be achieved whereby data can be shared among competing service providers; users approve the use of personal data because it brings them new benefits; public bodies recognize that they are data custodians and not monopolist owners; and there is public understanding that ‘Big Data’ does not mean ‘Big Brother’.

Executive Session ES05

The Role of ITS in Mitigating Climate Change and Delivering Green Transport

Congress Theme: Environmental Sustainability

Moderator:

Ms Susan Harris, Chief Executive Officer, ITS Australia

Speakers:

Mr Morten Kabell, Mayor of Technical and Envrionmental Affairs, Copenhagen, Denmark

Ms Jennifer Cohan,  Secretary, Delaware Department of Transportation, United States

Young Jun Moon, Chief Director, KOTI, Korea

Mr Shuji Okuda, Director Electric Vehicle Advanced Technology and ITS promotion office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan

Numerous projects from eco-driving to multimodality for both passengers and freight have revealed the great potential of ITS to mitigate climate change and deliver environmentally transport services. The intensive use of smartphones and future deployment of connected automated vehicles provide big and open data that will facilitate the planning, evaluation and deployment of ambitious ITS strategies supported by public and private initiatives. The analysis of these new data sources will help understand travel patterns of existing behaviour and determine how to increase public transport, electro-mobility and other alternative modes share. 

In this session, speakers will share outstanding experiences, future plans to increase greener transport modes and how to evaluate the benefits of ITS strategies from climate change perspective.

Executive Session ES06

The Use of Connected Vehicles and Data Exchange in Freight and Logistics, including Aviation and Maritime

Congress Theme: Future Freight including Aviation and Maritime

Moderator:

Mr David Silvester, National Planning Manager, New Zealand Transport Agency, New Zealand

Speakers:

Mr Sascha Westermann, Head of ITS and Intermodal Traffic Management, Hambourg Port Authority, Germany

Mr Paul Trombino, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, USA

Mr Cheng Peng, CEO, Navinfo, China

Ms Claire Depre, Head of Unit, DG MOVE, European Commission

Mr Nick Brown, General Manager Aviation and Maritime, Ministry of Transport, New Zealand

Although media attention remains on passenger cars, a growing number of truck manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers and start-ups are investigating the potential of connected vehicle technology for the freight and logistics sector, including aviation and maritime. Linking the world of data with the physical world of goods requires increased integration of ITS and logistics. Co-operative Intelligent Transport Systems promise substantial improvements for the logistics sector from real-time information on traffic, load balancing, planning and managing freight distribution, better tracking and tracing of goods across transport networks and better freight transport timeliness and efficiency as well as environmental sustainability. 

To this end, the use of Information Technology and leveraging of Big Data will be of critical importance, particularly considering the challenges we now face efficiently servicing mega vessels with a carrying capacity of more than 20,000 TEUs, and the pressure these vessels place on supporting transport and port infrastructure. Freight technologies aren't waiting for public acceptance. Private fleet truck platooning systems are emerging, freight drone deployments are rapidly becoming a reality, and unmanned commercial vehicle inspection systems are being deployed that minimize human intervention and greatly reduce delays to scheduled freight delivery times. 

Speakers at this session will explore the rise of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and how Big Data can be leveraged to optimize end-to-end port supply chains to cope with the future increased demand.

Executive Session ES07

Using Smart Nomadic Devices Safely to Enhance Personal Mobility

Congress Theme: Mobile Applications

Moderator:

Mr Martin Matthews, Martin Matthews Consulting, New Zealand

Speakers:

Ms Mika Rytkonen, Head of Business Development, HERE, Germany

Mr Shailen Bhatt, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Transportation, United States

Mr Jaehak Oh, Vice President, Korea Transport Institute, Korea

Mr T. Russell Shields, Chair, Ygomi, LLC, United States

Mr Anthony Ferguson, Deputy Director, Traffic, Department for Transport, United Kingdom

Since the advent of smart nomadic devices, their use in the vehicle has been strongly discouraged and, in many places banned, as this activity is widely considered a distraction to the driver. However, smart nomadic devices have also started to fill a big gap in terms of providing drivers with tools and resources to make their personal mobility quicker and safer. Road authorities have been developing apps to provide drivers with travel time, incident, detour and emergency information. The demand for information and tools is growing, especially with the increase in the processing power of smart nomadic devices, which enables them able to do much more in less time.

As smart nomadic devices become more and more devices that are not to be used whilst undertaking the driving task, such apps are also becoming more and more redundant. If road authorities fail to accommodate the demand, the private sector will continue to fill that gap. As a result, transport clients and users will turn to the private sector to seek information. Road authorities might lose an important channel to influence and promote safety and other messages to road users, especially drivers.

In this session, speakers will discuss how to embrace the fact that smart nomadic devices are present almost in each vehicle and demonstrate ways in which they can be truly utilised as a personal mobility device, without compromising safety.

Executive Session ES08

Modifying Regulatory Frameworks to Boost Mobility Innovations

Congress Theme: Policy, Standards and Harmonisation

Moderator:

Mr Anthony Ferguson, Deputy Director Traffic, Department for Transport, UK

Speakers:

Mr Wolfgang Hoefs, Head of Sector, DG CONNECT

Ms Leslie Richards, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, United States

Ms Yuko Sano, Chief Superintendent, National Police Agency, Japan

Mr Paul Retter, Chief Executive and Commissioner, National Transport Commission, Australia

Transport legislation (Regulations and Standards) tends to take a long time to create and changes equally slowly.  But the transport sector is in a period of unprecedented transformation – connected and increasingly automated vehicles, Big and Open Data, social media, 24/7 connectivity through smart phones, and so on. In addition, transport business environments and models are also evolving rapidly.  We live in a world of malicious cyber-attacks, hacking and social engineering which threaten our trust in systems and the continuity of service.  

As ITS moves from standalone systems to more integrated and centralised services adequate protection for secure and personal or sensitive data is even more important.  There are concerns that legislation designed for different technical, commercial and social times is impeding the adoption of new products and services.  The challenge for regulators is finding the balance between a very open regime that encourages innovation and a more specific approach to create an open marketplace that encourages competition, inhibits monopolies and presents a sensible operating environment for transport service providers.

This session will explore what governments can do to remove barriers, harmonise standards to enable interoperability, balance privacy and the public interest, and maintain an emphasis on outputs rather than a focus on the means by which they are delivered.

Executive Session ES09

Capitalising on the Internet of Things

Congress Theme: Smart Cities and New Urban Mobility

Moderator:

Mr Stan Caldwell, Executive Director, Traffic21, Carnegie Mellon University, USA

Speakers:

Mr Andrea Petti, Head of ITS, Ericsson, Sweden

Mr John Maddox, President & CEO, American Center for Mobility - Michigan Transformation Center (MTC), USA

Mr Yuji Nakamura, Director, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan

Mr Barry Einsig, Chief Technology Officer, Cisco Australia and New Zealand, USA

The phenomenon now commonly called Internet of Things (IoT) allows the creation of new technology-based services for the users of the transportation system, thereby improving regional mobility.  Among a number of new technologies, connected and automated Vehicles and drones have the potential to be linked to the information backbone that will support the development of new traveller services. 

This session will focus on how these technologies can be integrated into the existing transportation infrastructure to provide information services that will benefit travellers, service providers and other transportation businesses.  For example, connected and automated vehicles might have the potential to identify available parking spaces in their path, and this information could be provided to nearby travellers in real-time.

Executive Session ES10

Mobility as a Service

Congress Theme: Smart Cities and New Urban Mobility

Moderator:

Mr Sampo Hietanen, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, MaaS Gobal, Finland

Speakers:

Mr Andrew Everett, Chief Strategy Officer, Transport Systems Catapult, United Kingdom

Mr Kirk Steudle, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation, USA

Dr Jianping Wu, Professor, Tsinghua University, China

Mr Michael Brown, Regional General Manager, Uber, USA

Mr Andrew Somers, Director, Mobility as a Service, Australia

Users are already benefitting from new technology-enabled transport services that bring different choices about trip-making and support the idea of mobility on demand.  Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a concept that changes the use of different transport modes from a focus on ownership and management of separate systems to a user service promise.  MaaS has the potential to contribute to solving many of society’s mobility problems and offers an attractive alternative to car ownership thereby giving users more choice and the possibility to influence the development of new mobility services.  However MaaS will only happen through a systematic change to the ways in which we operate our transport systems.  A re-definition is required regarding how we organise the transport eco-system – regulation versus deregulation, private sector thinking and its business models versus public transport provision, understanding the impact of MaaS on land-use planning, understanding what it takes for people to give up their private automobiles.

This session will explore what needs to be done to encourage a truly user-centric transport service ecosystem.

Executive Session ES11

Integrating Physical and Digital Transport Infrastructure to Create Smart Cities

Congress Theme: Smart Cities and New Urban Mobility

Moderator:

Ms Pat Elizondo, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Marketing, Xerox Services, USA

Speakers:

Mr Klaas Rozema, CTO, Dynniq, The Netherlands

Mr Scott Sedlik, General Manager & Vice President, INRIX

Mr John Merrit, Chief Executive, VicRoads, Australia

Dr YC Chang, Managing Director, Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co, Ltd., Chinese-Taipei

The creation of Smart Cities will require a wide variety of new technologies including new sensors, mobile environmental platforms and wearable technology, among many others. Each part of this new technology infrastructure across metropolitan areas will provide unique insights into the functioning of the city, all with the idea of making it a viable environment in which its citizens and workers exist. For example, we will know which streets are congested, where roads are icy, and how many parking spots are available, all with the purpose of helping travellers negotiate the city’s streets. However, in order to best utilize the new infrastructure, innovative analytics capabilities will be needed to take full advantage of the data that is generated, to ensure that the data is of the highest possible quality, and to convert the data into actionable information.

In this session, speakers will identify the key opportunities and challenges associated with preparing for and operating Smart Cities and how best these be taken on by public agencies, private service providers, and travellers themselves.

Executive Session ES12

Smart and Automated Public Transport Enabling Liveable Cities and Improved Mobility

Congress Theme: Smart Cities and New Urban Mobility

Moderator:

Hermann Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, ERTICO - ITS Europe

Speakers:

Mr Mikkel Balskilde Hansen, Chief of Traffic Unit, City of Copenhagen, Denmark

Mr Martin Howell, Director of External Affairs, Cubic, United Kingdom

Mr Andrew Chow, President, ITS Singapore

Globally over 50% of the population already live in cities with developing countries rapidly shifting from rural towards more urban societies.  In many locations urban populations are also ageing, placing different demands on services.  These strains on mobility provision and limitations or physical inability to expand existing infrastructure, require cities to make difficult choices about priorities and be more innovative in the development of strategies.  In many cities expanding public transport capacity is seen as a key solution and fortunately we are now seeing the emergence of connected and increasingly automated vehicles.  They can conduct complex manoeuvres with far greater accuracy and safety than human controlled vehicles, operate themselves with improved service frequency, park on their own, deliver items and turn drivers into passengers able to sleep, eat, work or simply relax.  

Through recent trials in some cities we have already seen the potential for driverless vehicles on ordinary roads.  Urban driverless public transport is poised for deployment and future visions of individual pods and on-demand shuttles are becoming a reality.  Nevertheless, potential users need to be reassured about safety, legislation needs to be clarified and adapted and we need to understand the interaction of such vehicles in mixed traffic and with vulnerable road users.

This session will discuss the role that highly automated and driverless vehicles can play in public transport and review the key issues that need to be addressed to fully realise their contribution to mobility.