Organisers of the 2028 ITS World Congress in Orlando have announced its theme and appointed its Board Chair, as preparations continue for Birmingham to host the global transport technology gathering next year.
The US event will take place at Florida’s Orange County Convention Center from 8–12 October 2028. Its theme will be “Mobility Reimagined: Powered by Technology. Designed for People.”
HNTB Senior Vice President and National Practice Consultant Beth Kigel will chair the 2028 Congress Board of Directors. A former Florida Transportation Commissioner, Ms Kigel said the emphasis would be on the outcomes technology delivers for people and communities, including safety, access and resilience.
The programme will cover digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, vehicle-to-everything connectivity, automation, advanced air mobility and data, supported by an exhibition, demonstrations and technical tours. Organisers say Florida’s work on connected and automated vehicles, including its SunTrax testing facility, will provide opportunities to explore deployment in practice.
That focus on practical benefits also features in plans for next year’s ITS World Congress at Birmingham’s NEC. ERTICO – ITS Europe Chief Executive Joost Vantomme has highlighted opportunities for exhibitors to find customers and delegates to discover technologies they can deploy.
Birmingham’s Call for Demonstrations is already open, with proposals invited until 22 January 2027. Indoor and outdoor demonstration areas close to the exhibition and conference sessions will allow participants to experience systems and discuss their potential applications with suppliers. Organisers anticipate 15,000 participants from more than 100 countries.
The UK event will also feature an Operations Centre showcasing the West Midlands Regional Transport Coordination Centre, using live data and CCTV feeds to demonstrate how roads, public transport, incidents and roadworks can be managed together.
The Orlando Congress will be produced by RX in partnership with ITS America, ITS Asia-Pacific and ERTICO – ITS Europe
(Picture – ITS America)
