Conference Programmes

Manufacturers are throwing their investment dollars behind electric vehicles, designing, making and selling sophisticated, technology-led sleek cars. Batteries are becoming lighter, charging times are faster, and range anxiety is fading. They are also data machines, collecting insights on driver habits. How can cities strategically integrate EVs into their infrastructure to create 20-minute cities, where everything is within easy reach? And what incentives and policies will accelerate the adoption of EVs, making them as ubiquitous as ICE?

As we head towards a future of self-driving cars, our roads and cities need a tech-savvy, autonomous vehicle makeover. This session provides a glimpse into the infrastructure changes required for smooth autonomous driving, including traffic signals and signs, reimagined roads, parking and more. It will also discuss the technology architecture requirements of infrastructure as it talks to vehicles, data, sensor readings and cloud storage and future route planning. Strap in as we discuss how cities will retrofit existing roads to accommodate autonomous vehicles, and what safety measures must be embedded into road design to ensure communication between cars, pedestrians, and traffic infrastructure.

In our rapidly evolving urban landscapes, the concept of car ownership is undergoing a transformation. No longer is it solely about having a vehicle parked in your driveway; it’s about seamlessly integrating various transport modes to create a holistic mobility experience, including owned-, shared- and micro-mobility. However, regulatory frameworks often lag behind technological advancements. If we are to create decarbonised urban societies where multi-modal transport is the norm, and car ownership rare, how will this be achieved?

In many parts of the Global South, cars are a luxury that dew can afford. The main transport is motorbike, particularly taxis, with two-wheeled electric vehicles representing a huge opportunity. But they need a reliable electricity supply and an entrepreneurial spirit to promote its widespread use, such as battery swap schemes.

So much focus is put on electric and hydrogen vehicles and e-bikes and scooters that it begs the question of are we putting enough attention into clean forms of public transport? Is the future of urban transport far more heavily biased towards electric and hydrogen powered buses, tram systems and other forms of mass transit? Is walkability the silent urban option that is too often forgotten? Can we shift the spotlight from private cars to e-public transport - and what incentives would be required, particularly in countries where the culture leans heavily towards car ownership? And in hot, arid climates such as the Middle East, how can cities balance walkability with extreme temperatures?

In the busy streets of modern cities, traffic congestion is an unwelcome, often dirty, sight. But what if we could predict its arrival and reroute our journeys accordingly? Is predictive analysis a game-changer for urban mobility? The challenge is to decode the massive amounts of data, using real-time camera feeds, sensors, and mobile apps, mashed with analysed historical patterns, weather conditions and unexpected events, so that by using AI we can spot potential bottlenecks. What is required for cities to use such AI algorithms (policy incentives, publicprivate partnerships, both?) and in what creative ways can we use predictive insights to seamlessly guide people on their respective journeys?