Leaders of the Intelligent Transport Systems community in Australia have voiced their excitement at the prospect of visiting the English West Midlands for the ITS World Congress, 25-27 October 2027.
Speaking at the ITS Australia Summit 2025, ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris looked forward to the world coming to the UK for the first Congress there since London in 2006. “We are absolutely thrilled by the opportunity to collaborate on the 2027 ITS World Conference at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC),” she said at the event in Queensland’s Gold Coast. “The energy and enthusiasm we’ve seen from all our partners is simply incredible, from planning to promoting, everyone is fully engaged, and we’re confident this event will mark a milestone in driving smarter, safer, more sustainable transport together.”
Businesses in Australia are committing to taking part. “ITS Australia, and my company Ohmio, are genuinely excited about the ITS World Congress to be held in Birmingham in 2027,” said ITS Australia Director Dean Zabrieszach, who is CEO of driverless pod manufacturer Ohmio and HMI Technologies. “Every conversation with the organising team has been filled with energy, professionalism and a real passion for delivering an exceptional event. That enthusiasm is contagious, and it is inspiring to see the momentum that is already building. We are proud to be part of the ITS World Congress community, and we look forward to the first World Congress in the UK for many, many years. Personally, I also look forward to showcasing Ohmio’s transformative autonomous mobility solutions that have been deployed at the NEC.”
Highways News co-founder Paul Hutton (pictured), who is working on delivering Birmingham 2027, spoke to participants on behalf of the UK organisers.
“Australia delivered what was, in my opinion the best World Congress ever in Melbourne in 2016 so the bar has been set really high,” he said. “But Birmingham’s the home of the industrial revolution, and is delivering cutting-edge technology around safety and security, CAM, smart ticketing, sustainability, and new modes so I’m confident that if you’re a transport network operator you’ll find solutions to save you money or boost efficiency, and if you’re a business you’ll find new opportunities to boost your bottom line. And you’ll have a great time – from soccer to Shakespeare, Cadbury’s to curry, Birmingham is a great destination to visit and right in the middle of the UK and a great jumping off point for Europe.”
ERTICO – ITS Europe, the organiser of the 2027 ITS World Congress, also encouraged Australian colleagues to take an active part in the upcoming edition. “Australia has an exceptional record when it comes to delivering world-class Congresses,” said Dr Angelos Amditis, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at ERTICO and Chair of ITS Greece, who attended the Summit. Reflecting on Europe and the UK as hosts of the next EMEA World Congress, he added: “Both regions bring a long-standing culture of engineering excellence and real progress in next-generation mobility. I am confident that the 2027 Congress will stand out as another milestone for our global ITS community.”
In his keynote address, Dr Amditis highlighted the rapid pace at which the mobility and ITS sector is evolving: “Speaking here in Australia, I’m reminded of just how quickly our field is changing — and how essential it is to ask what the next chapter of responsible AI in mobility will look like. It has been a privilege to share Europe’s perspective and to strengthen our collaboration with partners from around the world.” Looking ahead to Birmingham 2027, he underlined the tangible progress that lies ahead: “By the time we meet in Birmingham, we’ll see these ideas turning into reality — real deployments, new ways of thinking, and the responsible AI frameworks that ERTICO is driving across Europe. Birmingham will offer the ideal setting to bring our community together and showcase this progress.”
Around 15,000 participants from across the globe are expected at the Congress, with five days of technical and special interest sessions, hands-on demonstrations, technical visits, and robust networking opportunities under the theme “Connect Ideas. Transform Transport.”
The 33rd ITS World Congress takes place at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham from 25 to 29 October 2027. Find out more here.
(Picture: ITS Australia)
