The 9th International Automotive Engineering Conference (IAEC 2024), organized by Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters' Association (OIB), Automotive Industry Association (OSD), Automotive Technology Platform (OTEP) and Association of Vehicle Suppliers Manufacturers (TAYSAD) in cooperation with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) at Bilişim Vadisi on November 7-8, was marked by smart mobility.

The panel was moderated by Esma Dilek, Deputy Director General of Communications at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and President of ITS Türkiye, and panelists included Aziz Bülent Öncel, Head of Traffic Safety Department at the General Directorate of Highways; François E. Guichard, Secretary of the Working Group on Autonomous and Connected Vehicles at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; Çağrı Yüzbaşıoğlu, Chairman of the Board of ISSD and Vice President of ITS Türkiye; and Erhan Köseoğlu, Growth and Smart Mobility Director at Ford Otosan.

In his speech, Dilek stated that the concept of smart mobility, which refers to an intelligent transportation and mobility network, requires the redesign of transportation infrastructure in daily life and business world and said: “Smart mobility is an ecosystem that includes not only traditional motor vehicles but also new modes of transportation such as demand-based travel and car sharing services. Smart mobility is redesigning the future of transportation.” Emphasizing that smart mobility includes not only the use of traditional motor vehicles, electric vehicles and public transport systems, but also completely new modes of transportation such as on-demand ride-sharing services and car-sharing programs, Dilek pointed out that the smart mobility ecosystem includes a wide range of alternative transportation modes and mobility trends, including connected, cooperative and autonomous mobility, electric vehicles, bicycle and e-skuter sharing systems, autonomous vehicles, driverless rail systems. He said that smart mobility promises to deliver many benefits for the majority of businesses in almost every sector, with efficiency being the most measurable of these. Increasing efficiency through smart mobility services will not only have a positive impact on the economy; the environmental impact of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting reduction in air pollution will also positively improve the quality of life of urban populations. The integration of smart mobility solutions with urban infrastructure, including public transportation systems and traffic data, can significantly improve road safety and enable the development of economies that depend on efficient urban mobility to sustain business.

Dilek also emphasized vehicle-to-everything communication technologies that can be considered among smart mobility solutions. She noted that vehicle-to-everything communication technologies, including the use of ultrasonic sensors, radar and camera technologies, help prevent dangerous behavior before drivers become visually aware of it by transmitting real-time information to drivers and passengers on transportation networks. She said that smart mobility technologies can improve the fuel economy of vehicles by reducing fuel consumption during starts and stops, and that as these technologies develop further, driverless cars and trends towards smart cities that can predict and mitigate danger on our behalf will become more and more a part of our lives.

Öncel discussed Türkiye's first Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) project. Stating that they aim to increase traffic safety in Türkiye with this project, Öncel said, “Thanks to C-ITS projects, we will be able to create safer, environmentally friendly and efficient transportation systems in our cities.” Öncel stated that these projects will make significant contributions to infrastructure and software developments.

Guichard emphasized the importance of connectivity technologies in the success of smart mobility. Guichard emphasized that 5G infrastructure in particular is important for making autonomous vehicles widespread, but security requirements should be addressed as a priority. “5G is not advanced enough to ensure the safety of autonomous vehicles; cyber security measures have a critical role in this regard,” he said.

In his speech on connected mobility, Yüzbaşıoğlu highlighted the security, economic and environmental benefits of smart transportation solutions. Yüzbaşıoğlu stated that connected mobility enables drivers and passengers to have a safer transportation experience by detecting dangerous situations in advance thanks to vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technologies. He also stated that smart mobility applications contribute to the economy by increasing efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

In his speech, Köseoğlu stated that autonomous vehicles will have a disruptive impact on the industry. Drawing attention to Ford Otosan's autonomous truck projects, Köseoğlu stated that the company has taken important steps in this field and that autonomous driving technologies will radically change the field of mobility in the future. Noting that they are working on digital transformation and new customer-oriented business models, Köseoğlu stated that smart mobility will provide more efficient traffic management in cities.