IRU — 2024-03-19
News from Brussels
Members of the IRU Commission on Technical Affairs (CIT) discussed artificial intelligence in road transport, weights and dimensions, and decarbonisation at their latest meeting.
IRU started the meeting by outlining the transformative potential of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Successfully integrating AI into the road transport sector requires a comprehensive understanding of the relation between AI and data, as well as the characteristics and variables of transport systems. This highlights the importance of establishing a regulatory framework to enable comprehensive digital transformation in road transport.
François Guichard, Secretary of the Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles, emphasised the pivotal role of UNECE's efforts in developing a new global regulation on Automated Driving Systems. This endeavour depicts a significant advancement for AI in road transport.
CIT members then discussed EU-funded projects testing AI systems and practical applications, highlighting how AI enhances safety on the roads.
Damian Penney, Vice-President of EMEA at Lytx, stated that AI prioritises driver safety, behaviour monitoring and risk detection, while also offering solutions for telematics, tracking and compliance. One of Lytx’ key advancements is the integration of machine vision and AI (MV+AI) technology into dash cam devices, specifically aimed at addressing distracted driving in real-time.
Valerio Liga, Digital Advanced Technologies Manager at IVECO Group, addressed how the information gathered from vehicles is increasingly helping to enhance safety measures. Based on various scenarios, the IVECO Group can categorise automation into long-haul and urban delivery.
Egon Warkentin, Manager International Relations Manager at Continental, stated that investing time and effort in the development of AI at Continental will help solve technological challenges and tailor products more closely to customer needs. Egon showcased a couple of examples of the ongoing projects: one focusing on automation and the other on alternative AI.
The meeting concluded with discussions on the latest updates regarding the revision of the EU’s Weights and Dimensions Directive and CO2 regulations as well as the IRU Green Compact.
A full summary of the CIT meeting is available on IRU website.
What is CIT?
CIT makes recommendations on technical matters concerning how transport operators can more safely, efficiently and sustainably transport passengers and goods by road.
In cooperation with heavy-duty commercial vehicle and tyre manufacturers, the Commission analyses and assesses technical developments in order to optimise operations, productivity, mobility, safety, security, environmental protection and fuel efficiency in road transport.
Priorities include reducing carbon emissions and noise, assessing energy savings, and optimising weights and dimensions of vehicles to improve their capacity and productivity.