Welcome to TRA2018 from DG Research and Innovation and DG Mobility and Transport

The European Commission is pleased to welcome you to Vienna for the 7^th Transport Research Arena (TRA 2018).

This is not just another conference on transport: it is an arena which brings together all European stakeholders – policy-makers, researchers, operators and industrialists entrepreneurs – from all areas of transport and transport-related activities.

From the first TRA Conference in 2006 the European Commission has supported the event, as it is the only research conference in Europe covering all modes of transport and their interconnecting activities, such as logistics, urban mobility. It also includes for the first time aviation. and multimodal traffic management. The European Commission works in concert with its stakeholders to promote safe, efficient, clean and competitive transport policies and seeks to ensure that Europe remains at the cutting edge of transport innovation. TRA offers the opportunity to highlight the links between research and policy, as well as showcasing the latest results of research activities in transport.

“A digital era for transport – solutions for society, economy and environment”

The theme of this year’s Conference “A digital era for transport – solutions for society, economy and environment” is in line with the first of the 10 European Commission priorities identified by President Junker for 2014-2019: “Jobs, Growth and Investment”. These can be achieved through an optimal use of the opportunities offered by digital technologies and a smarter use of financial resources, by removing obstacles to investment and providing visibility and technical assistance. Transport is one of the most important fields receiving substantial EU investment, and we have to ensure that the right return will be to the benefit of European citizens.

Digitalisation is essential to the achievement of a low/zero-carbon transport as it can also significantly improve transport management. The benefits from digitalisation will continue to grow. Better access to- and sharing of digital transport data (traffic, travel, vehicle, cargo etc.) for both public and private stakeholders along the supply chain will foster seamless information flows, and open up a wide range of new business opportunities.

Year of multimodality

2018 is also the year of multimodality where digitalisation is a key element. Multimodality is important for driving sustainable mobility, for ensuring economic strength and efficiency of freight transport, for achieving social inclusivity allowing disadvantaged citizens the best accessibility to mobility, and for improving the environmental performance of transport as a whole. Transport Research and Innovation has also a crucial role to play in enhancing the European social and economic integration, ensuring energy efficiency and other policy objectives, seizing the opportunities stemming from new developments like automation and, more generally, in achieving a more efficient and greener transport system for the future.

We thank our Austrian hosts and we hope that you will really take full advantage from your participation in TRA 2018.