A new “restyling” awaits the European Union.
A change that will affect infrastructure and transport networks across Europe. A real and profound revolution is changing the face of mobility: it is the digitisation of transport, a process involving infrastructure, vehicles and data, driven by technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and cloud computing.
The European Union is leading this transformation through targeted strategies and substantial investments.
The goal? An intelligent, sustainable, safe and interconnected transport system.
At the heart of this action is Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) european partnership, focused on developing an automated and connected transport system in which vehicles and road infrastructure are connected to each other and exchange information in real time. In addition, the so-called “5G Corridors”, due to be operational by 2027, will enable constant communication between vehicles and control centres, perhaps definitively leading the way to autonomous driving.
Bridges and tunnels will become “smart” thanks to sensors, digital twins and predictive maintenance.
At the same time, Artificial Intelligence will increasingly optimise routes, logistics flows and electric charging points, processing enormous amounts of data: up to 4 TB per day for a single autonomous car.
However, digitisation will not only affect technologies; it will also affect governance, regulation and strategic vision.
The Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF) will work to harmonise standards and regulations across EU countries, while the Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility will aim to reduce emissions by 90% by 2050, doubling rail freight and passenger traffic.
Looking at our country, an important step forward has been taken with the “Autostrade per l’Italia” initiative, with the launch of the “seventh transport revolution”.
Thanks to a €21.5 billion investment plan, the aim is to transform motorways into digital ecosystems. Among the projects already underway are Mercury, for predictive monitoring, and Free To X, with ultra-fast electric charging stations.
Motorways will also become active energy hubs, with smart grids, solar panels and kinetic charging systems currently being tested.
Despite this, the potential remains largely untapped.
In Italy, for example, the adoption of digital transport documents (DdT) is still limited. According to the Politecnico di Milano, digitising them would lead to savings of up to €18 billion, but the transition is hampered by management doubts, uncertain returns and a lack of digital skills, especially among small businesses.
For this reason, alongside investments in technology, Europe and national players are promoting training, the development of digital skills and a clear, inclusive and secure regulatory framework. Because the mobility of the future will not only be connected and autonomous, but also human, sustainable and collaborative.
Sources:
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/it/policies/technologies-digitalisation-transport
