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No.7 - ITS European Congress 2026 Review Special Edition
The special edition of ITS Edge Magazine has arrived, serving as the definitive review of what happened at the 17th ITS European Congress held in the historic and vibrant city of Istanbul between 27 and 29 April. This special issue moves beyond the headlines to explore how one of the world's most complex urban environments provided the perfect backdrop for a global strategy session on the future of mobility. Istanbul was not merely a host city, it was a living laboratory where the industry grappled with the transition from isolated pilots to city-wide platforms.
Throughout this edition, we provide analysis of the core themes that dominated the three days of the Congress. We explore the shift from "gadgetry" to systems thinking, highlighting how procurement reform and robust governance are now the primary drivers of innovation. We examine the practical exchanges that took place on the exhibition floor, focusing on the data formats and integration patterns that will define the next generation of transport services.
You will find exclusive insights across the diverse congress programme, including reflections on how Istanbul's operational complexity provides a roadmap for managing traffic anywhere in the world. We also look closely at the human outcomes of the summit, from the pedestrianisation of historic districts to the use of AI as a bridge for greater equity and safety.
This special edition is more than just a summary, it is a toolkit for practitioners, policymakers and vendors alike. It outlines a pragmatic roadmap for the next 12 to 24 months, focusing on outcome-based contracts, harmonised standards and the collective effort required to scale decarbonised transport. Join us as we reflect on Istanbul as a genuine turning point for the sector and discover how the lessons learned on the shores of the Bosphorus will shape the streets of Europe for decades to come.
Click HERE or on the picture above to download your FREE copy now!
ITS Edge, your definitive source for navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). In a world where mobility is increasingly complex and interconnected, the need for intelligent solutions to manage and optimize our transport infrastructure has never been greater. ITS Edge is dedicated to bringing you the latest advancements, insights, and expert analysis from across the global ITS sector.
From the seamless integration of connected and automated vehicles to the deployment of smart traffic management systems, we delve into the technologies shaping the future of transportation. Our mission is to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, providing a platform for in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We examine the cutting-edge technologies driving ITS, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics. We explore their applications in areas like traffic flow optimization, public transport management, road safety enhancement, and environmental sustainability.
Our content is tailored for professionals across the ITS ecosystem, including engineers, policymakers, researchers, and technology developers. We aim to provide valuable insights that inform strategic decision-making and drive innovation.
ITS Edge is more than just a magazine; it's a community. We encourage active participation and dialogue, fostering a collaborative environment where industry leaders can share best practices and address pressing challenges.
Join us as we explore the frontiers of ITS, shaping the future of mobility, and paving the way for safer, more efficient, and sustainable transport systems. With ITS Edge, you'll stay ahead of the curve, gaining the knowledge and insights needed to navigate the dynamic world of intelligent transport.
Lots of great articles to read for free, make sure to download the whole collection, you can even print them, they're great for your coffee table or office!
In this edition of ITS Edge, we are celebrating the 2026 ITS European Congress in Istanbul. We are welcomed to the event by Joost Vantomme, CEO of ERTICO, who shows us what to look out for at the congress. We are also joined by Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, who explains how British innovation is class-leading in Europe. With so many technology developments occurring at the same time, I examine if 2026 is when ITS Comes of Age.
In other articles, Agne Vaitekenaite, Head of Advocacy and Partnership at ERTICO looks at why diversity is such an important consideration for transport and Paula Claytonsmith, leading independent strategist, continues her examination of how trust is a make-or-break factor for technology deployments.
We are also delighted to be joined by three leading experts from ERTICO, Stephane Dreher, Maria Alonso-Raposo and John Paddington who explain some of the challenges and opportunities facing connected vehicles in ‘Navigating the data highway’. We are also joined by Kealie Franklin, CEO of ARTSM, who talks about the important role ARTSM plays in the sector.
We finish this edition with our Technology Insight item where we have worked with Snow Proof Signals from Colorado, to look at a solution to an unintended consequence of technology developments in traffic signals.
In the Winter edition of ITS Edge, our feature article welcomes Paula Claytonsmith, who examines the growing Trust Deficit the public is demonstrating toward Intelligent Transport Systems, and why addressing it is becoming mission-critical for the sector.
As we build momentum toward the 2026 ITS European Congress in Istanbul, where the event will be hosted in the city for the very first time, this issue marks the beginning of our enhanced Congress coverage as Official Media Partner. With the Congress set to be one of the most significant gatherings of the global ITS community in recent years, we take a closer look at the four principal themes shaping the programme and the wider mobility conversation across Europe: Safety and Resilience, Multimodal Mobility, Smart and Sustainable Logistics, and Enhancing Mobility Beyond the Road. These themes will define the dialogue in Istanbul, reflecting the sector’s ambition to deliver integrated, safe and seamless mobility at scale.
We also turn our attention to one of the most pressing challenges facing the ITS ecosystem: attracting and retaining the next generation of professionals. At a time when the Congress is highlighting unprecedented innovation, investment and opportunity across the mobility landscape, our article Shoot for the Moon! explores how the sector can inspire new entrants and support them in building meaningful, future-shaping careers.
We finish this edition with our Technology Insight item where we have worked with Messagemaker Displays to look at how MS1 signs have developed to being technology.
In the Autumn edition of ITS Edge the feature article looks at the implications that the recent air crash in Ahmedabad poses for safety critical systems, such as ITS.
From our partner ERTICO - ITS Europe, we have an update from Joost Vantomme, where he provides an overview of achievements so far in 2025, and a piece by Dr Nikolaos Tsampieris and Dr Eusebiu Catana who explain how 6G and AI will revolutionise ITS and logistics in particular. We also hear from partner Intelligent Transport Systems UK, where Max Sugarman looks at how policy is set to reshape transport.
In addition, we have a round up of events at the recent ITS World Congress in Atlanta, reporting on the huge range of accomplishments that were made. We also look at a number of topics, including the threat that vehicle technologies pose to the future of ITS infrastructure, and the landscape of opportunity and complexity that the UK ITS sector presents to foreign companies.
We finish this edition with our Technology Insight item for an episode from Season 4 of the @ITSNow YouTube Channel. In this, we have worked with Streetwise Technology to look at how technology can be used to make Zebra Crossings safer for users.
Following on from our 2025 ITS European Congress special, this Summer edition of ITS Edge not only looks back at what happened in Seville, but also examines some of the themes which emerged from the congress. In this edition, we have a couple of articles which tackle the issues which ITS faces, the first examines the Top-5 Challenges facing ITS and then we go on to look at Mistrust and Vandalism of ITS installations.
On a cheerier note, we are delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 @ITSNow Innovation Awards. It is great to see some stunning developments and an ongoing theme of edge computing in ITS applications! We also have articles looking at Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) and the underpinning Communications Technologies which are driving the adoption of these capabilities.
We also have our Technology Insight item for an episode from Season 4 of the @ITSNow YouTube Channel. In this, we have worked with the New Zealand firm Countculture to look at how they are poised to revolutionise collecting actionable Active Transport Data for Smarter Cities.
Following on from our 2025 ITS European Congress special, this Summer edition of ITS Edge not only looks back at what happened in Seville, but also examines some of the themes which emerged from the congress. In this edition, we have a couple of articles which tackle the issues which ITS faces, the first examines the Top-5 Challenges facing ITS and then we go on to look at Mistrust and Vandalism of ITS installations.
On a cheerier note, we are delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 @ITSNow Innovation Awards. It is great to see some stunning developments and an ongoing theme of edge computing in ITS applications! We also have articles looking at Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) and the underpinning Communications Technologies which are driving the adoption of these capabilities.
We also have our Technology Insight item for an episode from Season 4 of the @ITSNow YouTube Channel. In this, we have worked with the New Zealand firm Countculture to look at how they are poised to revolutionise collecting actionable Active Transport Data for Smarter Cities.
In this edition, we start by looking at how the language we use in traffic engineering might influence the solutions we engineer and how this might work to the detriment of progressing how we think about the active transport agenda.
As this is our first edition, we have included an explanatory article about what ITS is. We also have five articles from our series written in the UAE and Oman, about issues that face successful ITS deployments.
We finish this edition with our Technology Insight item for the first episode of Season 4 of the @ITSNow YouTube Channel. In this, we have worked with the Japanese firm NEC to look at their developments for Distributed Fibre Optic Sensing (DFOS), make sure to watch the full video online too!