Applying New Digitalization Concepts within the Transportation Industry
What are the current challenges with digitalization within the transportation industry? Patrik Anderson is chairman of ITS Sweden, an association for actors working with transport related to the digitalization. We had a chat with him about the current challenges with digitalization and what differentiate Sweden from other European countries working with digitalization within the transportation sector.
Tell us a bit more about ITS Sweden
ITS Sweden is a nonprofit organization that represents business, academia and public actors, both nationally and internationally. ITS Sweden is a forum for networking, information, and knowledge exchange within digitalization of the transport system. By this We provide a platform for collaboration and therefore enabling effective exchange of experience and knowledge building among actors in society, academia and business
What would you say are the international transportation trends?
Transportation is a huge industry segment in many dimensions, like transport modes, geographical coverage & responsibilities, goods vs people, legislations, market actors etc. So, to give a short answer on trends for all the above will be difficult. There are some common overarching themes though in the keywords of “safer, greener and smarter” as towards the industry is striving.
What are the current challenges with digitalization?
In general, some technology concepts within digitalization are new and frontiers are being explored and limitations definedpresently. Other digitalization concepts have existed in other industries but are new to the transport sector, and there is atransportation competence gap. These two things result in that the industry is undergoing a change, exploring the best ways to apply new digitalization concepts. Some digitalization challenges worth mentioning would be balancing ambition levels and technologies related to automation & autonomy, cybersecurity, personal integrity, personalization and servitization of the transport. Questions on how to structure data and ownership of data between corporations and the public is another dimension of digitalization challenges.
What differentiates Sweden from other European countries working with digitalization within the transportation sector?
We have in general a very high maturity level of applied digitalization. Furthermore, Sweden is well recognized for a “best-in-class” approach on a system-level; this applied digitalization that I just mentioned to support transportation operations in the best ways possible.
Further, Sweden is internationally known for our IT-, transportation companies and innovative start-ups.
What would increase collaboration between actors in society, academia and business?
Establishing a collaboration and understanding of each other’s perspective and challenges is a good foundation. Then the industry needs to formulate some common vision and ambition levels in more areas moving forward.
Looking a few years ahead, how do you think the transportation industry will evolve?
On a macro level transportation is fueled by the drivers of accelerated urbanization generating increased mobility needs which results in challenges around better saving our planet through more sustainable transport. To address this, higher automation, digitalization, and new ways of fossil free transports will evolve and sometime revolutionize transport. All of this cannot happen without security and safety in mind. Therefore, ITS Sweden is focusing on smarter, safer, and more sustainable mobility. If you want to know more about this and be part of the movement, join us at www.its-sweden.se and liaise with the international network of 70+ similar national associations in the world.