AI in Mobility and Transport

On 5 February 2025, European Union Directorate‑General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) organised the "Workshop on AI in Mobility and Transport: Applications, Opportunities, and Barriers", in collaboration with DG MOVE. The workshop will contribute to the preparation of the Apply AI strategy, which aims to boost industrial uses of AI and improve public services, notably by helping integrate AI technologies in key sectors like mobility.

This event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, startups, and researchers, uniting AI and transport specialists. With almost 400 participants, the workshop brought together experts from across Europe to discuss the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field of AI in mobility and transport.

The first session, "Use cases in mobility and transport," showcased real-world applications of AI such as monitoring, predicting and planning logistics operations, electric car fleets, or transport services. Generative AI is increasingly used, among other things, to make complex information more usable for decision-makers and to generate synthetic data. Autonomous vehicles and real-time traffic optimisation were identified as high potential application domains for AI.

The workshop continued by addressing the challenges and barriers to AI adoption in the mobility and transport sector. The discussion showed that the fragmentation and the lack of accessibility and interoperability of data, the need for skills and the compliance with regulations are important barriers. Panellists emphasised the need for data spaces, user-friendly computing infrastructure, support services, guidance on regulations, and collaboration among stakeholders, notably between AI and transport experts, to overcome these challenges.

In the final session, the focus shifted to the European AI ecosystem in mobility and transport. Panellists discussed key players, advantages, challenges, and collaborative opportunities, stressing the diversity and fragmentation of the actors in the EU. Participants highlighted the importance of creating robust networks and partnerships, involving end-users and public authorities early in the process, and ensuring that AI solutions are aligned with actual needs. The EU can play a crucial role by promoting standardisation and interoperability, providing funding and investment and supporting cross-border collaborations, for instance on data sharing.

Access to the Workshop event report,

Access to the Workshop slides.