Autonomous cars, trucks that communicate with one another via WiFi and drive in platoons and traffic lights that communicate with approaching traffic. These are only a few concrete examples of technological developments that make traffic smoother, safer and more sustainable and that are succeeding one another with ever-increasing rapidity. On Monday, a new testing area was presented that will enable these innovations by facilitating the practical application of the various services and techniques: ‘MobilitymoveZ.NL, Urban Mobility Testing Area’. This is an initiative jointly set up by the province of North Brabant, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management and the municipalities of Eindhoven, Helmond and Tilburg.

By presenting its bid book to ERTICO during the opening of the Automotive Week 2017 in Helmond, the Netherlands has joined the competition for the organisation of the prestigious European Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in 2019. With broad support from other cities, regions and the Dutch ITS industry, the Brainport region is the Dutch candidate to host the more than 2,000 participants. The municipalities of Helmond and Eindhoven, Brainport Development, the province of North Brabant, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and Connekt are making a concerted effort in this partnership, under the motto: fulfilling ITS promises!

SimSmartMobility is a simulation platform developed by Connecting Mobility, the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). It connects data, systems and traffic models in order to simulate smart mobility solutions - extremely rapidly. Both TNO and Connecting Mobility are involved in the SmartwayZ.NL programme but SimSmartMobility was developed separately from SmartwayZ.NL.

SmartwayZ.NL has a programme council. What is the purpose of this council? Who are the members? And what do they take decisions about? We spoke to Christophe van der Maat, chairman of the programme council.