6 December 2018 | Brussels, Belgium

The first edition of the ERF Lab was organised in the Espace MontePaschi Belgio gathering opinions from stakeholders different than the road industry but with high involvement in future patterns of mobility.

The latest technological developments and new trends in the global mobility framework are already impacting the road infrastructure sector and will do so even more in the future. The road infrastructure has to respond to these new challenges and look ahead to be ready for this evolving disruptive process.

Inspired by the series of Lab events organised during the last 2 years by the Spanish Road Association (AEC), the ERF Lab chose to start a series of Lab events, by gathering experts of transport, urban planning, mobility, artificial intelligence, service providers, representatives from private and public sectors. The philosophy of these ERF Labs is to foster cooperation and dialogue between all major players of the mobility and in particular road mobility.

Hence the organisation of the first edition of the ERF Lab on 6th December. The event was structured around two major topics: ‘Connecting the road infrastructure’ and ‘Ecosystems for better mobility’.

Keynote speakers from private, public and institutional sectors presented their vision and expertise with the participants. Presentations were followed by an interactive and animated discussion between all.

This first edition also coincided with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the ERF, which has established itself as a reference for representing the road infrastructure sector during the past 20 years, and it will continue to contribute to consolidate the leadership of roads as transport mode in the future.

Further to the success of this first Lab, the ERF will regularly organise other similar events, fostering the dialogue and interaction between professionals, academics and researchers.