Nordic Innovation was a partner of the Nordic+ Pavilion at this year’s ITS European Congress, together with a number of other Nordic companies and mobility stakeholders. The ITS Nordic Plus pavilion provided a solid foundation for the Nordic participants. We had the opportunity to present the Smart Connectivity project through two pitches delivered by Nina Egeli and Hege Louise Guttormsen.
Wonderful workshop
Our Smart Connectivity initiative explores how the mobility sector can approach a smart and sustainable transformation to reach the Paris Agreement and Nordic Vison 2030, through data sharing and digitalization. For a successful transformation, we need a future vison to set the direction.
To help us achieve this we organized a workshop with our partners from Rambøll, Halogen, Demos Finland, and RISE Sweden. Despite allocating three hours for the workshop, we had a good turnout with 23 registered participants and some additional observers. The room was what one would call intimate, but it seemingly provided a foundation for fruitful discussions and high engagement.
The main purpose of the workshop was to explore how the use of data and data sharing can contribute to sustainable mobility for the future, as well as how to create scalable solutions and projects. Participants rotated among five stations, each focusing on a specific topic for discussion. Finally, there was a summary and a collective discussion. The workshop provided us with valuable insights, and its conclusions will guide us in determining the way forward in the development of the Smart Connectivity project.
We invited stakeholders to be a part of shaping the future of mobility and discussing how Nordic mobility companies could take a leading role in the transformation. The participants had the opportunity to contribute to enhancing the work done so far, as well as identifying must-win battles to bridge the current challenges with the future vision.
Establish a fresh course, share data and scale
The discussions focused on how we shall identify the next stages of Nordic collaboration and innovation in mobility and transport through our ‘Next stages of Nordic Innovation and Cooperation for sustainable mobility and transport’ project that runs until August.
To achieve the 2030 targets and fulfil the Nordic Vision 2030, it is crucial that we realign ourselves, establish a fresh course, and ensure our priorities are accurately set. Simultaneously we are studying how the use of data and data sharing can contribute to sustainable mobility for the future, and how to create scalable solutions and projects. A call for demonstrators will follow in November.
Sustainable Mobility journeys needs to work better across Nordic borders
To gain a better understanding of the current issues related to the mobility sector in the Nordic region, we spoke with Søren Sørensen, Chairman of the Board, ITS Denmark and asked him about the status of the smart connectivity field in the Nordic countries now.
- Well, it is fragmented, I believe that's the best way to describe it. It is fragmented, at least to some extent. Yes, it applies to the whole Nordic region, with a clear regional focus on local traffic, but there is obviously no connection between regions. Neither in terms of planning nor payment. Usually, each region has its own payment system, and for some reason, it is different from all the others. And that's one of the challenges we face when we try to make plans across regions and even worse, across national borders.
In such a fragmented Nordic region, where would you say our biggest issues are right?
-If we have to pinpoint where it hurts the most, it is across national borders. I think it's because there isn't really anyone who takes responsibility for it. For example, national railway traffic. Maybe it extends to a city on the other side of the border, but that's about it. And then the passenger is left on the platform, and they have to figure out how to continue themselves. If they need to continue on a multimodal journey, it's a different game they have to enter. There is no assistance available from home. They have to seek it in the new place.
Søren points out that mobility is easy when your sitting in your car and knows the address for your destination. Then you can just use your GPS, get a travel plan and even notified about toll roads an ferries. So where does he see the potential for better mobility in the Nordic countries?
-You are fully covered from start to finish when traveling by car. But if you need to take a train, bus, or any other mode of transportation, you have to figure it out yourself. There is no digital assistance available on an international basis. You might get some help from Google Maps, but all it tells you is that you need to go through 1, 3, 4, 5 other apps to buy tickets and so on. That means you really have to allocate time for it, and the probability of finding the best travel plan is not very high.
Even thou there are many challenges to face, the Nordic countries have good prerequisites to contribute to find a solution, says Søren.
-We are fortunate in several ways. Firstly, the Nordic countries are known for being the most innovative in the world, as many studies suggest. Secondly, we are almost 100% digital in terms of digital communication, payment and smartphone usage. So, we have a solid foundation to create the necessary infrastructure and communication that makes things much easier. We should be the first ones to achieve this.
Søren points out how easy it is to travel around in your car throughout the Nordic countries. And how easy it is to fly around the entire Nordic region because you can quickly plan a trip to Trondheim, for example. It can be planned in 5 minutes in some apps or a website. Now we just need digital assistants to help us travel more sustainably and that is a super important agenda at the Nordic level.
-It's also an opportunity for the Nordics to become leaders in Europe in this field. There is no doubt about it, concludes Søren Sørensen, Chairman of the Board, ITS Denmark.
