The Future of Movement: Rethinking Congestion in the Age of Smart Cities

In 2023 Kapsch TrafficCom announced a strategic collaboration with the renowned Spanish Comillas Pontifical University. Under this alliance, Kapsch founded the establishment of a 'Chair for Smart and Sustainable Mobility'. Through this academic-industrial partnership, both parties strive to advance
smarter and more eco-friendly mobility solutions.

In this panel discussion, researchers from the University of Comillas Spain and Kapsch TrafficCom will discuss the challenges and possible solutions for managing urban congestion with the help of research findings from the university.

Congestion is one of the major urban problems. In addition to its direct impact on air pollution, it has important negative effects on health and generates economic losses (reduction of labor productivity, increase in the price of goods due to additional transportation time). Why does it appear? Infrastructure cannot absorb demand, especially at peak hours. However, increasing supply is not a solution: evidence points to an induced demand effect until reaching a new equilibrium with more cars and also congestion.

How can we address this problem? In cities, three main instruments have been used to reduce congestion: regulating the quantity (ZBE), pricing (tolls), incentivizing modal shift (public transport).