Page 16 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2020 publication

16 Spring 2020 European Energy Innovation

THE FUTURE OF ROAD TRANSPORT

The future of road transport

Technologies and people at the heart of the transformation

By Biagio Ciuffo, Scientific Officer at the Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Transport is one of the main
pillars of our society. The consider that sectors linked to road face the challenge of having to act
ubiquitous availability of transport account for about 15% of on a sector to reduce its externalities
transport opportunities and European Gross Value Added and 10% while at the same time preserving
of European employment. the economic model it sustains. In

the possibility to quickly reach almost other terms, transport policies have

anywhere in the world has fuelled Yet the sector is following an a bearing on many, often conflicting,

and sustained globalisation and the unsustainable pathway. Productivity interests, as can be seen from the

unprecedented economic growth of losses due to delay and congestion heated debates that accompany

the last century. account for approximately 1-2% of almost all decisions concerning

EU GDP, not to mention the 26.000 transportation.

But modern transport has had wider deaths and the 1 million injured on

social effects beyond providing Europe’s roads. It is therefore no surprise that

seamless and effective mobility. high-level strategic actions aimed

The rise of the car has given birth Road transport and domestic heating at regulating road transport usually

to ‘the automotive city’ and has are the two main sources of poor air advocate the deployment of

transformed public space as well quality in European cities. innovative technological solutions

as becoming symbolic of social that can contribute to cope with both

aspiration and status. Road transport is the second largest objectives.

source of greenhouse gases in

The development of the mass Europe. It is also the only main source The recent European Green

production and consumption whose emissions are increasing. Deal adopted by the European

economic model has gone hand-in- Commission is no exception to this.

hand with the revolution in vehicle Achieving our sustainable

production processes. development goals requires Digital solutions (powered by vehicle

addressing the challenges posed by connectivity and automation and

As a result, any substantial changes the transport system as a whole and by the shared economy paradigm)

in the transport system can have a by road transport in particular. together with a transition to low-

big knock-on effect on our economic carbon vehicle technologies (in

and social systems, especially if we This is no easy task: policy makers particular electrification) cover 3 out

Figure 1. Main challenges posed by road transport

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