Event

What are the key factors for a transition to future transportation, and what initiatives are taken to facilitate a change?

This year's Transport Initiative Seminar offers a range of different perspectives on what waits around the corner. Join us at Lindholmen Conference Center to hear representatives from industry, public sector and academia share their views on what factors will have impact on tomorrow's mobility, and what actions are already taking place.

 

PROGRAMME
 
9.30  Registration and coffee

10.00 What to expect from the future
Moderator: Maria Grahn, Profile coordinator of Sustainable Vehicle Technologies, Area of Advance Transport
 
Welcome
Anna Dubois, Vice President Areas of Advance
 
Virtual Trains – the Future of Transportation?
Lars Hesselgren, Director of Research PLP Architecture
For the last 100 years we have built our cities to provide us with on-demand point-to-point transportation. The revolution brought us by the car is indisputable. So what happens next? The oncoming revolution in Autonomous Electric Vehicles (AEV) means we can and should rethink everything about transport.Crucially the ability of cars to form trains – virtual digital trains of course – means that cars could replace trains – and buses and trams and taxis – within the next few years.
 
The ethics of self-driving vehicles (prel. title)
Gustaf Arrenius, Director Institute for Future Studies
 
What does science do for the SDGs, what do the SDGs do for science?
Katarina Gårdfeldt, Director Centre for Environment and Sustainability, GMV
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the AGENDA 2030 were adopted by world leaders in September 2015. For the first time, a global language for sustainable development was presented. The SDGs will mobilize all world countries to end poverty, promote economic growth and development and at the same time combat climate change and protect the environment. To promote the holistic requirement, there is an urgent need for science based sustainable solutions to meet the challenges on local, regional and global levels.  During my presentation, I will give some examples on how academia can contribute to the SDGs and how the SDGs can offer a framework for the universities to demonstrate impact of science.
 
EU transport policy – what to expect in the future?
Stefan Back, Director Sustainable Logistics, Swedish Confederation of Transport Enterprises /Transportföretagen
Transport is international and EU is influencing the markets in many ways, and will continue to do so also in the future. Still the ongoing discussions and programs in EU, and the impact they eventually will have on our efforts in creating future efficient and sustainable transport systems is often overlooked. What do we know of what is going on in Brussels generally and more specific in the transport sector? What is the most interesting initiatives and trends in the EU transport work? Infrastructure? Common markets? Energy and climate impact? And in the end: what is the possibility to influence this work through national and EU channels?
 
Questions and discussion
 
Demonstration of student project
 
12.00–13.00 Lunch
 
13.00 Behavior as key factor for change
Moderator: Johan Woxenius, University of Gothenburg
 
The transport purchaser’s role for sustainable transport
Linda Styhre, IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet
The presentation will cover research carried out by the Transport Purchasing Panel – a long-term collaboration between IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg in close cooperation with the business sector. The aims of the Transport Purchasing Panel are to create opportunities for more cost-effective and sustainable transport logistic solutions through more efficient transport procurement. A comprehensive survey is conducted every second year since 2012 among Swedish manufacturing and wholesale companies with more than 100 employees, and some results from these surveys will be presented at the Initiative seminar.
 
How can future transportation become more sustainable? Taking the perspective of the individual
Cecilia J Bergstad, University of Gothenburg
In my research on transportation and environmental psychology I focus on individuals´ perceptions, attitudes, values and norms whether it is concerning private mobility or topics related to businesses and organizations or the political processes. I mainly want to focus on how motives for using the private car have changed until today, and reflect on how the need for sustainable transport in cities will have to consider these factors as well as the well-being of people in the future too. I will also say something about transport policy acceptance and implementation.
 
Where is the key to transforming our current sociotechnical transport system regime?
Malin Andersson, Urban Transport Administration, City of Gothenburg
We know what is needed to be done, but new sustainable solutions seldom penetrate the system. From a practitioner’s perspective,  I will discuss the main obstacles for change penetrating the socio-technical transport system and drivers that enable a transition.

Questions and discussion

Ongoing research at a glance
Presentations of current research projects
 
14.15–14.45 Coffee
 
14.45 Technologies for transition
Moderator: Mike Browne, University of Gothenburg
 
Actions for future transportation by the Swedish Transport Administration
Christer Löfving, Swedish Transport Administration
The Swedish Transport Administration recently submitted a proposal for a national plan for the transport system for the period 2018-2029, to the Swedish government. Taking this proposal as a starting point, I will show how the Swedish Transport Administration acts to promote future transportation, and discuss different aspects on future scenarios such as electric roads, autonomous driving, digitalisation and black swans.

Self-driving and all-electric transports –The role of the T-pod in the future
Robert Falck, Einride
The trend for transport vehicles have for many years been bigger and heavier, mainly driven by the need to maximize the utilization of the combustion engine and the driver. What happens when we remove both the driver and the combustion engine and make a smaller transport unit? How can this contribute to a more efficient and sustainable transport system? This speech will address some of the opportunities and challenges with smaller, more flexible, all-electric and driver-less transport vehicles.
 
AstaZero's role in the transition (prel. title)
Speaker TBA
 
Road based transportation ready for disruption
Karin Svensson, Volvo Group
The need to transport goods and people continues to grow globally and road will be the primary mode of transport for many years to come. At the same time, vehicles are becoming increasingly connected, automated and electrified which will impact and radically transform transportation and mobility as well as reshape the cities and societies we live in. To meet the challenges, Volvo Group is pioneering innovative solutions like the self-driving refuse truck, the electric bus on route 55 and the autonomous underground mining truck – in order to increase transport efficiency, lower environmental impact and improve traffic safety.
 
Questions and discussion
 

16.00 Panel discussion: Do we know what we don't know?
Moderator: Maria Grahn
Panel: Carol Flannagan, Gustaf Arrenius, Malin Andersson

The panel discussion is introduced with the presentation:
Transitioning to the Future of Transportation: Research in the US
Carol Flannagan, University of Michigan, Center for the Magagement of Information for Safe and Sustainable Transportation (CMISST)
Transportation is in a time of fast change and transition everywhere in the world. In the US, fatalities are higher than in other developed countries and safety is a strong focus of the conversation about moving to automated and connected vehicles. However, energy use may be affected either positively or negatively depending on choices made, so planning for positive change must also be part of the conversation. I will touch on a few major areas of research focus around automation in the US.
 
16.45 Closing
Sinisa Krajnovic, Director Area of Advance Transport

WELCOME!