The world is changing rapidly today, especially in the field of transportation. With the increasing use of technology, we are now trying to make traffic more smart, safe, and sustainable. In such a situation, ITS World Congress ALL-ACCESS has opened many new possibilities and avenues for this sector by bringing together people from the intelligent transportation industry on one platform.
This event was organized completely virtually i.e. online for the first time, because there was a restriction on travel and visiting crowded places due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This virtual event was successfully completed by ITS America (Intelligent Transportation Society of America) and Reed Exhibitions. More than 2,600 experts, government officials, engineers, academics, and people from the private sector who work in the field of transportation joined this event.
ITS World Congress All-Access: A Comprehensive and Informative Event
The event spanned four weeks with a total of 47 different networking and educational sessions, including keynote addresses, interactive sessions, discussion groups, live Q&A sessions, and more. All of these sessions were available on the ITS World Congress All-Access online Knowledge Center.
Teaching topics included traffic flow, behavior change, emerging technologies on the digital highway, data and connected vehicles (intelligent, connected and automated vehicles), sustainable transportation, and planning future transportation systems. Each session had an average of 131 attendees, with nearly 70% completing the session.
The Knowledge Center is also slated to be a place for on-demand content, including keynote addresses, synchronous sessions, state transportation department roundtables on safety and equity, MOD and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) workshops, sustainability discussions, sponsored infosessions, and networking chatrooms. The Center was visited by more than 7,000 people at multiple times and viewed more than 10,000 pages.
ITS America Team Reacts
“We are thrilled to be able to expose the intelligent transportation community to new ideas and developments through this digital platform. Our goal now is to help the community leverage our on-demand digital education program to keep them up to date on new trends and research and prepare for what’s to come,” said Jamie McCauley, Event Director, ITS America.
Laura Chase, Chief Operating Officer of ITS America, also said that such a virtual event proved to be a good way to connect people during the pandemic. He hoped that important discussions would continue through this platform in the coming months.
Participation and Exhibition of Expert Companies
30 leading companies displayed their market information, solutions and technologies in the Knowledge Center, which will help in preparing the world of mobility in the coming times. These include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, HNTB, AECOM, Toyota, Cubic, International Road Dynamics, Bosch, Siemens, Genetec, Parsons etc.
There is also a full sponsorship directory, which contains information about all the supporters and sponsors of ITS World Congress All-Access.
Premium Pass for On-Demand Content
Those who could not attend the live event can avail the content of the entire library for $95 by purchasing a premium pass. This pass allows them to view past webinars, sponsor showcase pages, and other content. ITS America members, sponsors, speakers, nonprofits, academic institutions, public agencies, and Transportation Tech Leaders Program members can obtain a premium pass for free.
This content will be available throughout 2020.
Top 15 Most Viewed Sessions
Some of the top topics covered in the event’s 15 most popular sessions are:
- The U.S. experience of autonomous vehicle (AV) shuttles from planning to deployment
- The safety and utility of the 5.9 GHz band and V2X (vehicle-to-vehicle communications)
- Keynote address by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio
- Does Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) contribute to sustainable transportation?
- Preparing Infrastructure for Automated Transportation
- Automated Bus Consortium Program
- Mobility Utopia 2030 – in two parts
- Post-integration phase with factories and manufacturers
- MaaS and MOD Workshop (sponsored by Cubic)
- Keynote discussion with Blair Anderson, Public Policy Director at AWS
Plus sessions covering topics such as the impact of data, the future of public transportation, and autonomous driving.
Reed Exhibitions and ITS America: Introduction
Reed Exhibitions is a global events and information company that operates more than 500 events in nearly 30 countries, covering 43 industry sectors and connecting more than 7 million attendees. Reed Exhibitions has 35 global offices that help drive business growth using data, technology, and market expertise. It is part of the RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics services. For more information, visit www.reedexhibitions.com.
ITS America Research and Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Technology ITS America is an organization that promotes the use of smart, secure, and green mobility technologies to enhance life safety, improve mobility, promote sustainability, and increase productivity. ITS America’s vision is “A better future with smart, secure, and green mobility.” For more information, visit www.itsa.org.
Closing Thoughts: Why is This Event So Important?
The ITS World Congress All-Access proved that digital means can be the most effective way to exchange knowledge and innovation, no matter the situation. The event provided opportunities for in-depth understanding and networking on various aspects of the transportation industry.
The event was not just limited to showcasing technology and products, but also promoted strategies for the future, government policies, and business collaboration. Such events connect people from all levels of the industry, so that together we can build a safe, sustainable, and modern transportation system.
This platform will continue to play an important role in transforming the field of intelligent transportation in the years to come. Such events not only provide an opportunity to understand new technologies, but also inspire everyone towards sustainable and smart mobility.
