In only two weeks - October 15 - the three-day IRF World Congress 2024 fittingly kicks off in the beautiful city of Istanbul, the crossroads of Europe and Asia as well as the financial hub of Türkiye.
Under the theme ‘Connecting to Empower Mobility: Roads as Enablers of a Sustainable Future for All’, global leaders, industry experts, academia and diverse public and private stakeholders will engage in insightful discussions and collaborative efforts.
The IRF World Congress promises to be an enriching experience with a comprehensive programme, featuring daily plenaries, specialised and technical sessions, hands-on workshops, training sessions, a ministerial meeting and technical visits. Critical issues to be include decarbonisation, sustainable infrastructure, road safety, autonomous mobility and data management.
Attendees will benefit from the insights of more than 250 esteemed speakers representing top organisations, including UNECE, TotalEnergies Foundation, European Investment Bank, International Transport Forum, World Health Organisation, ASECAP and IBTTA. One such speaker will be Christian U. Haas, chief executive of Umovity.
When two market leaders join forces, the results can be transformative. Umovity is a prime example of this synergy. By uniting the two industry-leading brands PTV Group and Econolite, Umovity offers a comprehensive approach to managing the entire mobility value chain, encompassing both software and hardware.
The International Road Federation recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Haas to discuss how Umovity is revolutionising traffic management and what the company will showcase at the IRF World Congress.
IRF: Mr. Haas, in January 2023 PTV Group and Econolite joined forces under the new umbrella brand Umovity. How have things evolved since then?
Mr. Haas: Since launching Umovity, we’ve been on an exciting journey filled with new opportunities. Econolite is the leading provider of traffic management solutions in the US, while PTV’s traffic modeling and simulation software is recognized globally. The synergy between our two companies is vast. By harnessing the strengths of both companies, Umovity takes a holistic approach, providing the right solutions, hardware and software, needed to address the challenges and unlock the potential of the mobility and ITS sector.
IRF: What are the key challenges and opportunities facing the mobility sector today?
Mr. Haas: The mobility sector is at a critical juncture facing unprecedented challenges but also incredible opportunities. Transportation accounts for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions and sadly around 1.2 million people die each year in road traffic crashes. Urbanisation is creating overcrowded cities, increasing congestion, pollution and reducing overall quality of life. It is within this context that city and traffic planners are forced to rethink mobility strategies.
At the same time, transportation systems are becoming more complex with the introduction of new services and technologies. This complexity, however, also brings great opportunities. Advances in roadway sensors and cutting-edge software are generating vast datasets, which, when combined with technologies like artificial intelligence, are transforming traffic management. These innovations offer a path toward a more sustainable, efficient and safer future.
That’s why the IRF World Congress is so important. It brings together global leaders, experts and stakeholders to discuss these critical issues and drive the future of mobility forward.
IRF: What can visitors expect to see at the Umovity booth?
Mr. Haas: At the Umovity booth, visitors will experience state-of-the-art solutions for intelligent traffic management. We’ll showcase Econolite's adaptive traffic control systems, real-time traffic management software, controllers, cabinets and sensor products.
PTV Group will present its advanced simulation and predictive modeling tools. Some highlights include PTV Optima, our real-time traffic management software used in cities around the world, and PTV Model2Go, an innovative solution for rapid traffic model creation. We’ll also feature Econolite’s Evo Radar, a cutting-edge traffic sensor and PTV Flows, an AI-powered tool for incident visualisation and congestion forecasting.
And we’re particularly excited to discuss our new Dynamic Multimodal Network Management concept.
We are developing an integrated management, operational planning and decision support system that will empower cities and organisations to shape and organise mobility in the best way possible across all modes of transportation. By leveraging data from diverse sources and incorporating innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence and model-based methodologies, we will build a unique and connected ecosystem, enabling dynamic mobility planning and control - real-time and long-term. It’s a holistic approach that will significantly enhance the way cities organise and manage transportation.
IRF: Umovity’s slogan "Mobility for Humanity" is quite inspiring. What motivates you personally in this field?
Mr. Haas: Before I joined PTV Group five years ago, I didn’t fully grasp the profound impact mobility has on our daily lives. We often take it for granted. But ensuring that everyone has access to safe, efficient and smooth mobility is a significant challenge. Mobility is a fundamental human need; it allows us to work, meet with others and access essential services like education and healthcare.
What excites me is the role technology plays in simplifying mobility’s complexities and adapting it to the diverse needs of people around the world. The idea that our solutions can increase efficiency, accessibility, safety and sustainability by reducing congestion, accidents and pollution is a powerful motivator for me.
At Umovity, our global teams share a common mission. That is to improve mobility for humanity through innovative technologies that make transportation safer, more sustainable and more efficient.
IRF: Umovity has its own event, Mobility Tech Update, coming up in October. What can we expect from that?
Mr. Haas: Historically, PTV has unveiled its software updates in October. This year, for the second time, we’ll present the latest innovations from both PTV and Econolite at the Mobility Tech Update. Users can look forward to cutting-edge advancements and new product integrations within the Umovity Tech Suite. Many of these updates will focus on how data and AI can drive traffic management and mobility.
We’re also be advancing our cloud strategy, ensuring scalability and seamless collaboration across our product portfolio. It’s an exciting time for us and I encourage everyone to follow the Umovity LinkedIn channel so they don’t miss the keynote presentation and the major highlights.
Christian U. Haas will be speaking at the IRF World Congress plenary session on October 16. If you would like to schedule a meeting with the Umovity team at the IRF World Congress, please contact the IRF team at: [email protected]
More information about the IRF World Congress, including the full programme, is available at:
www.irf2024.irfofficial.org
