EU project SHOW (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption) – coordinated by UITP – kicked-off in Brussels with a three-day Conference gathering almost 140 leading industry figures.

IRF (Geneva) is proud to be part of consortium delivering the SHOW Project that brings together 69 partners from 13 EU countries to support the deployment of shared, connected and electrified automation in urban transport across a four-year period. With a budget of €36 million, SHOW is the biggest ever project piloting AVs in urban environments – with over 20 cities hosting demonstrations. “We are delighted to bring to this project the expertise of IRF and of its members and partners whether this is on hard or soft infrastructure or in the capacity building needed to fully embrace automation in our sector” said Susanna Zammataro, IRF Director General speaking at the high-level panel kicking-off the project in Brussels.

The arrival of AVs represents a unique opportunity for a fundamental change in urban mobility. If AVs are put to use in shared fleets, they could dramatically reduce the number of cars on the road by reaching people and places it was too difficult to before – plugging first/last-mile gaps and feeding into public transport trunk lines. SHOW aims to further support the transition towards seamless and safe sustainable mobility by promoting automated transport. The H2020 project will look at different aspects of AVs: how can we guarantee that users will accept the arrival of AVs? What are the legal, operational and ethical limitations of AVs? And what are viable business models regarding AVs?

These and many other questions will be answered through setting up demonstration fleets in urban and peri-urban traffic environments. SHOW will see real-life urban demonstrations taking place in 20 cities across Europe, in which – alongside transport – other industries such as telecom and IT will be involved. And SHOW goes beyond EU-borders, as twinning actions are planned with 11 organisations from the US, South Korea, Australia, China, and Singapore.