Australia’s Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) industry gathered in Melbourne to celebrate the winners of the 16th Annual ITS Australia Awards.
The ITS Australia Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in advanced transport technology, recognising organisations that leverage new and emerging technologies to enhance the intelligence, safety and efficiency of Australia’s transport networks.
“This year’s ITS Australia Award winners represent the very best of innovation and leadership in intelligent transport,” said Silje Troseth, President of ITS Australia.
“Their achievements highlight how collaboration across industry, government and research is driving real progress toward a transport system that better serves all Australians – now and into the future.”
This year’s Smart Transport Infrastructure Award, sponsored by Daktronics, was presented to Transport for NSW, for their Drones for Roads program designed to enhance safety, reduce congestion, optimise emergency response and set a new benchmark for efficiency, coordination, and resilience.
The Intelligent Mobility Award went to NEC Australia My Way+, Transport Canberra’s new ticketing system, transforming mobility by unifying fare media, digital identities, and real-time journey planning through cloud-native, modular platforms (main picture).
The Connected & Automated Vehicle Award was won by Transurban who, in partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, delivered a trial of connected vehicle technology on Melbourne’s West Gate Freeway, using real-time data to guide safer motorway merging, reduce crashes and improve traffic flow.
The Excellence in Research & Development Award, sponsored by iMOVE, was won by La Trobe University, the Centre for Technology Infusion, for their project, C-ITS for Motorcycle Safety: Start today, prepare for tomorrow, using Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) to make riding safer with warning systems including helmet audio alerts and LED mirrors.
The Excellence in Transport Data Award, sponsored by Amazon Web Services, went to ConnectSydney-Service Stream Transport Contractor Call ON/OFF App, digitising contractor access to Sydney’s road network, replacing manual call-ins with real-time tracking, AI geomapping, and geofencing.
The Young Professional Award, sponsored by Transurban, was awarded to Kalan Ralph, an emerging leader from Main Roads Western Australia and ITS Australia NextGens Co-Chair for his work in elevating national visibility of regional transport challenges and championing youth engagement in the ITS industry.
The Max Lay Lifetime Achievement Award winner John Gaffney received his award, which was announced in late 2025 (press release here)
The winner of the Woman of the Year Award, sponsored by Q-Free, was Distinguished Professor Fang Chen, also announced in late 2025 (press release here), who was also honoured at the Awards ceremony.
ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris commended this year’s winners.
“This year’s award-winning projects highlight the power of collaboration across Australia’s intelligent transport ecosystem, particularly the role of university partnerships in delivering robust, evidence-based solutions,” said Ms Harris.
“As the peak industry body, ITS Australia is focused on strengthening these collaborations to scale technology-driven innovation that enhances transport outcomes and the end-to-end travel experience.”
(Picture: ITS Australia)
