ERTICO – ITS Europe is pleased to announce the latest episode of its podcast series, Connecting Dots and Talks, entitled “Driving Change: 35 Years of ITS and the Road Ahead.” Released as part of ERTICO’s 35th anniversary celebrations, the episode brings together leading voices from across the Intelligent Transport Systems ecosystem to reflect on three and a half decades of transformation in mobility and discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Hosted by Agne Vaitekenaite, Head of Partnership and Advocacy at ERTICO, the episode features an exceptional panel representing key sectors of the transport and mobility landscape:
• Malika Seddi, Director General, ASECAP
• Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General, UITP
• Ronald Adams, Project Manager for Smart Mobility, Rijkswaterstaat
• Sigrid de Vries, Director General, ACEA
• Joost Vantomme, CEO, ERTICO – ITS Europe.
Together, they provide unique insights into how collaboration, innovation, and technological advancement have shaped Europe's mobility ecosystem over the past 35 years and how the ITS community can continue driving sustainable and resilient transport solutions for the future.
Driving Change: 35 Years of ITS and the Road Ahead
Reflecting on 35 Years of Transformation
In the first roundtable discussion, the guests explore the evolution of their respective sectors and the pivotal role they have played in advancing ITS.
From ERTICO’s perspective, Joost Vantomme reflects on the milestones that have transformed intelligent transport systems from early traffic management solutions into today's connected, data-driven mobility ecosystem. He discusses how ERTICO’s unique public-private partnership model has enabled stakeholders from across transport, technology, and public authorities to work together to accelerate innovation and deployment.
Representing Europe’s toll road operators and infrastructure managers, Malika Seddi examines how digitalisation, sustainability requirements, and evolving user expectations have reshaped road infrastructure management. She highlights ASECAP’s contribution in supporting safer, smarter, and more environmentally sustainable transport networks.
Looking at public transport, Mohamed Mezghani discusses the shift from traditional transport operations towards integrated and multimodal mobility systems. He shares perspectives on the key turning points that have changed urban mobility and the important role UITP has played in helping cities adapt to changing mobility needs.
From the public authority perspective, Ronald Adams reflects on the evolution of traffic management and infrastructure governance. He discusses the increasing importance of data, regulation, and public value creation, while emphasising the growing significance of collaboration within the ITS ecosystem.
Finally, Sigrid de Vries highlights the automotive industry's remarkable transformation over the past three decades. From vehicles primarily defined by mechanical engineering to software-driven, connected and increasingly automated platforms, she explains how the sector has evolved and how ACEA has supported innovation and cooperation across the mobility value chain.
Looking Towards the Future of Mobility
The second half of the podcast shifts focus to the future of ITS, transport, and mobility.
The discussion explores how Europe can address major societal and technological challenges, including digitalisation, decarbonisation, resilience, automation, and connectivity, while maintaining a people-centred approach to mobility.
Joost Vantomme outlines ERTICO’s vision for the next generation of ITS, highlighting the crucial role of partnerships in delivering scalable and interoperable solutions across Europe.
Malika Seddi shares her outlook on the future of infrastructure management, focusing on how road operators can support connected, automated, and greener mobility services through smarter infrastructure and enhanced digital capabilities.
Mohamed Mezghani presents a vision for public transport as a critical pillar of climate-neutral and liveable cities, emphasising the role ITS technologies must play in enabling seamless, efficient, and attractive mobility services.
Ronald Adams examines how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced data management will influence the role of public authorities in managing increasingly complex mobility systems.
Sigrid de Vries concludes the discussion with insights into the automotive industry's future, exploring how electrification, connectivity, and automation are converging and how cross-sector collaboration will be essential to accelerate the deployment of ITS solutions.
A Shared Vision for the Next 35 Years
Throughout the episode, a clear message emerges: partnership remains the foundation of successful innovation in transport and mobility. As Europe navigates rapid technological change and ambitious sustainability goals, cooperation between public authorities, industry, infrastructure operators, mobility service providers, and research organisations will be more important than ever.
This special anniversary edition of Connecting Dots and Talks offers listeners an opportunity to learn from some of the most influential leaders in the mobility sector while gaining valuable perspectives on where intelligent transport systems are headed next.
Listen to the Episode on Spotify 🎙️
Stay tuned for more insightful conversations on Connecting Dots and Talks, exploring the ideas, technologies and partnerships driving the future of mobility.