As the host city of the ITS European Congress 2026, Istanbul offers a uniquely powerful setting for exploring the theme “Bridging Innovation: Integrated, Safe and Seamless Mobility.” Straddling two continents, Istanbul is a natural bridge between East and West. This dual identity mirrors the Congress’s mission to connect diverse mobility systems, technologies, and policy frameworks across Europe and beyond.
Why This Theme?
In a rapidly changing mobility landscape, the theme of the 2026 ITS European Congress emerges as both timely and essential. It reflects a growing recognition that no single sector, discipline, or region can advance transport innovation in isolation. Instead, real progress depends on collaboration across borders and systems, bringing together governments, industry, researchers, and civil society to shape a connected, resilient, and inclusive mobility future.
At the heart of this vision is safety, which must evolve alongside digitalisation and automation. As new technologies enter public spaces, the need for strong governance, cybersecurity, and human-centred design becomes increasingly urgent. Ensuring that all road users, particularly vulnerable ones, are protected is a shared responsibility.
Just as critical is the ambition for seamless mobility: journeys that are efficient, accessible, and intuitive. The rise of real-time data, artificial intelligence, and MaaS platforms promises to unify mobility experiences, but only when systems are interoperable and genuinely responsive to user needs. Seamlessness is not achieved through technology alone; it requires coordination, equity, and trust.
“Bridging innovation” speaks to a deeper challenge: the need to close the persistent divides between research and real-world deployment, between policy intent and operational execution, and between advanced mobility ecosystems and those still developing. True innovation is inclusive innovation, benefiting people and places across Europe, whether urban, peri-urban, or rural.
In doing so, the theme aligns closely with strategic EU priorities, including the Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and Vision Zero, while also supporting global commitments to decarbonisation, digital transformation, and sustainable urban development. It sets the stage for shared exploration and potential pathways forward, reflecting the evolving priorities that continue to shape the mobility landscape.
“Istanbul sits at the intersection of continents, ideas, and ambitions. The theme ‘Bridging Innovation: Integrated, Safe and Seamless Mobility’ reflects both our geography and our vision to connect people, systems, and solutions across Europe and beyond. In hosting the ITS European Congress 2026, we are proud to help lead the dialogue on the mobility transformation cities like ours are living every day.” - Erdem Samut, İSBAK General Manager.
As the ITS European Congress 2026 convenes in Istanbul, it offers a unique moment to align ideas, technologies, and ambitions, shaping a more connected, resilient, and inclusive mobility future for Europe and beyond.
Want to get involved? We welcome proposals from innovators, city leaders, academics, and industry experts eager to share their insights and experiences when our call for Contributions opens.
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