The President of ITS America has opened the 2025 ITS World Congress in Atlanta saying that the tools and systems we thought were on the horizon are now here.
Laura Chace (pictured) told a packed auditorium at the event, which has the slogan “deploying today, empowering tomorrow”, that the reality is that innovation delivers the basics and unlocks the breakthroughs. “We’re here to showcase that innovation is critical, and innovation is not just about doing the same things differently,” she said. “It’s about trying new things. It’s how we choose to invest. It’s what we invest in, and it’s how we deliver on these transportation projects, from improving everyday services to unlocking entirely new ways of moving people and goods. It’s how we keep moving forward. Now more than ever, smart investments in transportation are critical, and if we do them right, they save lives, save time and save money.”
ITS World Congress Board Chair Ramin Massoumi, who’s Global Director of Intelligent Mobility at Arcadis, said that the event is about delivering real-world solutions: “The pressures on our cities and supply chains are immense, but so too are the opportunities to innovate. Intelligent Transportation must be at the forefront of our response, whether it is through the deployment of autonomous vehicles, such as the Waymo vehicles you see outside, or the integration of big data and artificial intelligence, the development of smart corridors, or the expansion of shared mobility, we have the means to build the future that is not only more efficient, but more sustainable and equitable.” He talked of the week: “Let us leave, Atlanta, not only with a new knowledge and partnerships, but with renewed commitment to make transportation safer, smarter and more connected.”
The City of Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer, Lachandra Burks said the region is building smarter, safer transportation systems that will connect communities for decades to come, with its Department of Transportation,driving forward key projects to expand rapid transit, enhance multi-modal mobility and strengthen street safety.
The UK has a strong presence at the Congress with the UK & ERTICO ITS-Europe Pavilion promoting Birmingham’s hosting of the event in October 2027. There are seven organisations on the stand too: AGD and its system company MAV Systems, Immense, Intelligent Instruments, Navtech Radar, Nicander and Zenzic.
Highways News is at the Congress and will be reporting throughout the week, including some special Highways Voices podcasts supported by Transport for West Midlands and the Transport Technology Forum.
(Picture – Highways News)
