According to an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study, the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region falls behind in digital transportation technologies, which represents a significant opportunity when it comes to boosting the sector’s economy. 

Indeed, almost half of the regional transportation authorities and 27% of the private sector actors still have not developed a digital transformation strategy. This gap is a key finding of the Inter-American Development Bank study Driving Forward the Digital Transformation of Transportation in Latin America and the Caribbean, carried out in 2021 and 2022 in conjunction with the Instituto de Columbia para la Tele-información. For the report, researchers reviewed nearly 300 public, private, and academic documents; surveyed 223 transportation contractors in the region; and interviewed 96 industry leaders from all over the world, including IRF Deputy Director General, Gonzalo Alcaraz. 

More specifically, Gonzalo shared insights about the work IRF is doing regarding the digitalisation of the Road Infrastructure sector, not only in the Americas but also in other parts of the world, based on the outcomes the IRF’s Connected and Autonomous Mobility Manifesto, launched in 2021. In particular, Gonzalo also shared his view on other relevant global trends such as electrification and automation, and how they will impact the road sector. 

Since 2019 when most of the organisations were barely aware of the issue, the report showed that nowadays two of every three organisations have a digital transformation strategy. Nevertheless, 67% of them admit finding themselves behind the average when compared to other global leading countries.