Global Mobility Call presents the thematic blocks to drive the transformation towards sustainable mobility

Madrid, 29 July 2024. Global Mobility Call, the leading transformative event in sustainable mobility, organised by IFEMA MADRID and Smobhub, presents in detail the six thematic block that will make up this year’s conference, comprising themes framed within the global debate on sustainable mobility to foster public-private collaboration and discover new partnerships.

The agenda was developed in collaboration with the Global Mobility Call GMC Expert Advisory Committee together with event partners, considering all perspectives both economic and environmental, social and regulatory, with a strong focus on the support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This first theme explores how the energy transition is presented as an opportunity to combine solutions to mitigate the impact of all forms of transport and emissions from mobility. This is done through exploring the global challenges of reducing CO2 emissions and multi-energy strategies with a vision for the future and the investments required in infrastructure, storage, critical minerals and networks.

Here, energy solutions like green hydrogen, SAF, electrification and biofuels, clean energy alternatives and the energy transition play a particularly key role. Electrification and storage will also be discussed, delving into batteries, charging and energy infrastructures and critical minerals, as well as the importance of public-private policies and partnerships and, finally, sustainable investment, ESG strategies and the situation regarding talent in the field.

This thematic block will propose research into the role of technology, changes in user behaviour and regulatory developments in the reimagining of urban mobility. It will address topics like the optimisation of car use and the integration of various sustainable forms of public transport, such as electric vehicles, urban buses, metro, commuter rail, bicycles and passenger car services, as well as the advantages of public-private partnerships for the creation of efficient and equitable mobility solutions that improve accessibility.

This theme will also consider urban and shared mobility, MaaS, public transport and multimodal mobility. Speakers will explore digital platforms and the exchange and uses of data to promote connectivity, as well as AI, Edge and IoT systems. All of the above will be approached in the spirit of achieving an updated and technological urban infrastructure planning with real-time traffic data and LEZs (Low Emission Zones). Experts will also highlight the importance of sound policy and investment.

This thematic block will look at the transformation of intermodal transport systems capable of achieving sustainable passenger and freight logistics through digitalization and alternative clean energies. That will include issues relating to the evolution of transport, the incorporation of intelligent and digitized infrastructures and the adoption of green energies, among others.

Intermodal and integrated transport will be central to this thematic block, focusing in detail on air, maritime, land and rail transport and critical infrastructures, as well as other issues such as logistics and Last Mile delivery and intermodal centres. The automobile sector, fleet management, heavy transport and electric vehicles will also be covered along with energy solutions, policies for these issues and the strategies needed.

Discussions under this thematic block will deal with new trends in transport and urban planning, the 15-minute city model, smart traffic management systems with shared data centres, active mobility (cycling and walking), green public transport, autonomous vehicles and exchanges to establish the future of sustainable mobility in cities and territories through more advanced urban planning.

This theme will highlight autonomous and connected mobility covering aspects such as autonomous driving, safety and connectivity and cybersecurity. It will also address issues such as urban and shared mobility, platforms to promote and plan liveable urban futures and the resources needed to deliver on this efficiently.

This fifth theme will look specifically at the transformation of the automobile sector as new mobility trends emerge. This will be done in the form of an overview of the transformation towards a new business model and a new value chain driven by connected, autonomous, shared and electrified mobility, and will include key topics such as the shift towards electric vehicles, new charging and battery technologies, the role of data in the optimisation of transport and the emergence of software-based vehicles, the importance of public-private partnerships and investments to develop electrification infrastructures and incentive systems.

Energy solutions, electrification and storage, autonomous and connected mobility, digital and data platforms, automobiles, investment and public policies and collaboration will be some of the topics to be addressed by the experts.

In a world where the application of intelligent systems is already very much a reality, this final thematic block proposes an investigation into how digital technologies and innovation are accelerating the mobility revolution. The topics addressed here include the role of cutting-edge technologies like AI, IoT, 5G, Edge Computing, ICT platforms, intelligent digital infrastructures and intelligent transport systems (ITS) in the creation of new business models and mobility services as well as the rise of non-ownership and MaaS models, connected and automated mobility, and the multimodality of different forms of transport, among others.

The theme will look at the development energy solutions, urban and shared mobility, autonomous and connected mobility as well as digital platforms and data processing.