2025 STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards within the European Transport Conference: Final Programme Announced

The 10th STA Conference & Innovation Awards will be held under the theme “Safer and Greener Transport Infrastructures in the Context of AI and Big Data Developments”.

We are pleased to announce the final programme of the 10th edition of the STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards, taking place in collaboration with the European Transport Conference (ETC) on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, from 11:00 to 13:30 CEST, at the University of Antwerp, Belgium.

This year’s theme – “Safer and Greener Transport Infrastructures in the Context of AI and Big Data Developments” – reflects the growing integration of artificial intelligence into everyday life and aligns with the European Commission’s objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

The event begins with a keynote speech on the European Union’s ongoing efforts toward sustainable and efficient transport infrastructure and is rounded off by two distinct roundtables. The first roundtable focuses on AI applications to transport infrastructures, and the second on the activities of STA in the research field.

In collaboration with the European Transport Conference (ETC), participants of the STA Annual Conference will also receive complimentary access to the ETC morning plenary session on Wednesday, 17 September (09:00–10:30 CEST).

Please note: While registration for the STA Annual Conference is free, separate registration is required for the full attendance of the European Transport Conference.

2025 STA Annual Innovation Awards Ceremony

Honouring global innovators for their contributions to Smart Transportation Infrastructures, with a growing focus on digitisation and AI.

Mr Erwin Verstraelen, Vice-President of Innovation at Port of Antwerp-Bruges(Belgium), will be awarded as the Person of the Year, for his clear strategic visionand ambition for digitising the port, driving significant advancements in both port operations and global logistics.

RECORAIL, the innovative road barrier from non-recyclable plastic, developed by Road Steel by Gonvarri, will receive the award of the Best Innovation Solution.The project leads the way toward decarbonised, circular, and reusable safety barriers, and provides a concrete example of how the private sector aligns with the EU principles, including the European Taxonomy and the European Green Deal, promoting both environmental and societal benefits.

STA Releases a New Technical Report on AI Applications Across the Road Infrastructure Lifecycle

The second Technical Report published by STA this year explores the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across all phases of road infrastructure, featuring case studies and ethical insights.

STA is pleased to announce the release of a new Technical Report titled “AI Applications Across the Road Infrastructure Lifecycle”, marking the second paper published this year, in line with the workplan established at the first STA General Meeting.

Authored by Mr Jorge Alfonso Kurano, Project Manager at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), the report provides a comprehensive overview of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be integrated across all phases of transport infrastructures.The report analyses four core technologies and features case studies from Dortmund (Germany), Porto (Portugal), and Tallinn (Estonia) that demonstrate AI’s real-world applications in urban mobility and sustainability. It concludes by emphasising on a multidisciplinary approach encompassing engineering, data science, policy, and community engagement.

Four Years of Urban Mobility Innovation: STA & UPM at the SCALE-UP & MOVE21 Final Event

From 1 to 2 April 2025, STA co-hosted the Final Event of the SCALE-UP project in Brussels, Belgium.

The Final Event of the SCALE-UP and MOVE21 projects, titled “Next Steps Towards Cities as Green and Connected Nodes for Urban Mobility”, took place in Brussels, on 1-2 April 2025, gathering over 158 participantsincluding policymakers, city officials, innovators, and researchers.

The Smart Transportation Alliance (STA), leading the communication and dissemination and exploitation activities of the project and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), responsible for scaling strategies, represented two active STA Members in SCALE-UP.

The two day event, co-hosted by STA, Eurocities, POLIS, the City of Antwerp, and the City of Oslo, featured over 14 sessions and 60 speakers.

NEWS OF INTEREST

New Cameras Given the Green Light to Improve Road Safety

The city of Adelaide, South Australia, has launched an innovative AI-powered traffic management system to ease congestion and enhance road safety.

The city of Adelaide, South Australia, has introduced an innovative Artificial Intelligence system aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety, with four smart cameras now operational across some of Adelaide’s most heavily trafficked corridors. The cameras are connected to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s Traffic Management Centre (TMC), enabling real-time monitoring of vehicle flow and automatic adjustments to traffic signals to help alleviate peak-period delays.

Early results indicate a measurable impact. Since the system went live, dangerous build-ups and rear-end collisions have dropped significantly.