UK-based suppliers of roadside and in-vehicle transport technology are being invited to showcase their systems live in front of thousands of international visitors at the 2027 ITS World Congress at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.
The organisers are looking for companies to become part of a Connected Vehicle Ecosystem, which will bring together roadside infrastructure and in-vehicle systems to show how they can support transport network operations and road safety.
Around 15,000 transport professionals from across the world are expected at Birmingham’s NEC from 25-29 October 2027 for the first ITS World Congress to be held in the UK since London hosted the event in 2006. These demonstrations will be delivered along with a flagship live version of the West Midlands Regional Transport Coordination Centre within the NEC’s exhibition area.
The latest call is aimed particularly at UK suppliers of roadside technology such as sensors, cameras, radar and other connected infrastructure, as well as companies supplying in-vehicle systems capable of receiving, using or displaying real-time information, messages and alerts.
Successful applicants will deploy their technology around a designated network of private NEC service roads. Delegates will travel around the route on buses, with in-vehicle systems receiving and displaying messages and alerts generated through the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem. This will enable visitors to experience the interaction between roadside equipment, real-time data and in-vehicle services first-hand.
The NEC service roads carry normal business traffic and offer a mix of operating environments, with speeds of up to 30mph, allowing a range of urban and non-urban use cases to be showcased. A significant static and parking area will also be available for roadside and connected technologies requiring a more controlled environment, including services involving vulnerable road users.
The showcase builds on the approach used at the Transport Technology Forum’s TTF Live event in Hinckley earlier this year, where services from 13 suppliers were brought together through one connected ecosystem. The ambition for Birmingham is to take the concept to a significantly larger international audience, bringing together more roadside and in-vehicle technologies to showcase UK capability in connected transport.
“We’re looking for technology forward to either be market-ready and already being used in the UK, or sufficiently developed to be shown live as a working pilot or proof of concept delivering UK policy outcomes,” explained demonstration co-ordinator Andy Graham of White Willow Consulting. “It must also demonstrate a clear policy-aligned benefit to transport network operations and/or road safety.”
There will be no participation fee for companies successfully selected for the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem, although suppliers will need to meet their own deployment and staffing costs. No further funding will be available.
“This call is the latest stage in preparations designed to make Birmingham 2027 a showcase for technology working live rather than simply being displayed on exhibition stands,” added Mr Graham. “We’ve already announced that a working Operations Centre will operate within the exhibition as we show how intelligent transport can deliver practical benefits for people and communities.”
Companies selected for the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem will be expected to work with the wider ecosystem community, comply with NEC health and safety requirements and be able to explain their communications, power and data requirements. The application process also asks suppliers to explain whether their systems can provide data to, and use data from, a connected ecosystem using standards and APIs.
Applications to join the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem close on 15 September 2026. Suppliers which showcased technology at TTF Live do not need to reapply, but must provide the requirements already requested by the organisers.
The ITS World Congress 2027 is organised by ERTICO – ITS Europe and hosted by Transport for West Midlands with support from the Department for Transport. It takes place at Birmingham’s NEC from 25-29 October 2027.
(Picture – Yay Images)
