IRF Talks Infrastructure-Supported Automation at ITS European Congress 2026
27 - 29 April 2026 | Türkiye, Instanbul - The International Road Federation (IRF) is actively contributing to the conversation on the future of connected and automated mobility at the ITS European Congress 2026, where transport experts, policymakers and technology leaders are meeting to advance innovation in intelligent transport systems.
Representing IRF at the congress, Project Manager Iona Kirkpatrick is participating in a series of technical sessions focused on the infrastructure requirements needed to support safer and more reliable automated mobility systems.
As part of IRF’s participation, Iona delivered a presentation during the Special Interest Session on Infrastructure-supported Automated Mobility, where she shared insights from iEXODDUS, an IRF-supported European project working to improve the interaction between infrastructure and automated vehicles. The presentation highlighted how intelligent infrastructure, which includes roadside sensors, digital twins and real-time contextual data, that can help extend the operational capabilities of automated vehicles, improving safety, efficiency and resilience across transport networks.
In addition to presenting, Iona also joined the panel discussion on “Next-generation roadside sensing ecosystems for autonomous-ready infrastructure", which explored how infrastructure systems can provide the real-time awareness needed for automated vehicles to safely navigate increasingly complex environments.
She is also joining a panel titled “From infrastructure intelligence to safer automation: ODD extension, edge-AI stacks, standardised road condition services and multimodal orchestration”, where experts examined the technologies and collaborative frameworks required to support automated mobility at scale. These discussions addressed the importance of reliable roadside intelligence, interoperable standards and coordinated infrastructure services in enabling the next generation of connected transport.
IRF’s presence in these discussions reflects its continued commitment to shaping practical, scalable solutions for automated mobility, bringing together infrastructure operators, researchers and industry stakeholders to address the challenges of deployment and standardisation.
A central part of this work is iEXODDUS, a European initiative focused on extending the Operational Design Domains (ODDs) of connected and automated vehicles through infrastructure support. By integrating real-time road data, digital infrastructure services and harmonised communication standards, the project aims to create safer and more adaptive mobility systems while helping road authorities prepare for the demands of automation.
Through its participation at ITS European Congress 2026, IRF is reinforcing the role of infrastructure as a critical enabler of automated mobility and ensuring that the voice of road operators remains central in the development of future transport systems.
New Leadership Cohort Announced for the IRF Young Professionals Programme
The International Road Federation (IRF) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new leadership cohort for the IRF Young Professionals Programme for the 2026–2028 term. Selected through a highly competitive process, the new cohort brings together three outstanding emerging leaders whose professional backgrounds reflect the diversity, innovation and global perspective that define the programme. With expertise spanning road safety, sustainable mobility, transport planning and innovation, as well as demonstrated experience in youth engagement and international collaboration, these leaders will help shape the next chapter of the IRF Young Professionals Programme.
Adwait Limaye is a Transport policy and data specialist with 8+ years across 50+ Asia-Pacific countries. His depth in transport is built on a cross-sectoral foundation spanning urban design, infrastructure delivery, and local government operations across India and Asia-Pacific.
He specialises in evidence-based diagnostics and developing policy storylines for governments, MDBs, and UN agencies. He brings systems thinking and upstream project preparation to translate technical evidence into actionable policies.
An experienced facilitator and trainer, he has supported multi-country workshops and consultations across 25+ delegations, designing structured learning programmes for government officials and junior professionals alike. He has co-authored flagship reports, working across multilateral development banks, UN agencies, and bilateral donors. Outside work, Adwait explores cities on foot — drawn to how transit systems and urban form shape the rhythms, cultures, and daily lives of the people within them.
Valeria Carrion Moreno is a civil engineer and youth mobility advocate from Peru committed to advancing safer, more inclusive and sustainable transport systems. As a Youth Leadership Board member of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety, she works to elevate youth perspectives in global road safety advocacy, with a particular focus on expanding engagement across Latin America and empowering young leaders to contribute to safer mobility systems.
Valeria has built her career around promoting safer streets, equitable access, and people-centred urban design. In her role as a civil engineer at the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Peru, she contributes to transport policies and technical guidelines that shape road planning and evaluation across the country. She has also developed technical inputs for emergency declarations to accelerate road condition improvements and reduce risks on critical corridors, strengthening national road safety efforts through evidence-based policy and institutional coordination.
Steffel Ludivin Feudjio Tezong is a Civil Engineer and Transport Consultant with over six years of experience designing and delivering sustainable infrastructure and transport projects across Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
He holds a PhD in Infrastructure and Transport from Sapienza University of Rome and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from ENSTP Yaoundé and the University of Padova.
His work focuses on sustainable transport, road safety, transport decarbonization, climate-resilient transport systems, and integrated urban and corridor planning. He also engages with cross-cutting issues like health, education, gender, inequality, and climate, through think tank collaborations, advancing SDGs via evidence-based transport policies and projects.
He has co-authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications on sustainable transport and has led the design and delivery of several local transport initiatives in Cameroon, such as DataMobilize.
Over the next two years, the new leadership cohort will play a central role in advancing the objectives of the programme by guiding initiatives designed to strengthen professional development, expand global collaboration and foster greater youth participation across the transport sector. Their work will include leading online gatherings, contributing thought leadership, coordinating collaborative initiatives and supporting stronger youth engagement across IRF programmes and activities.
The IRF Young Professionals Programme was created to empower the next generation of transport leaders by providing young professionals with opportunities to connect, contribute and grow within the global road and mobility community. By fostering knowledge exchange and encouraging active participation in IRF initiatives, the programme supports the development of future leaders who are equipped to address the challenges of safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility systems.
The appointment of this new leadership cohort marks an important step in the continued growth of the programme. As the transport sector evolves in response to emerging challenges in safety, sustainability and innovation, the role of young professionals becomes increasingly important. Their perspectives, technical expertise and commitment to collaboration are essential to driving meaningful progress and advancing mobility solutions that respond to the needs of communities worldwide.
Through their leadership, the 2026–2028 cohort will help strengthen the programme’s impact by creating more opportunities for engagement, expanding the reach of the young professionals network and encouraging the exchange of ideas among peers and industry leaders.
IRF looks forward to working with this new cohort as they help inspire and engage the next generation of road and transport professionals.
IRF Strengthens Road Safety Auditing Capacity in Uganda Through International Auditor Training Programme
24 April 2026 | Uganda, Africa - The International Road Federation (IRF) continues to expand its efforts to improve global road safety standards, with IRF Lead Trainer Eur Ing Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos in Uganda delivering advanced road safety audit training as part of the IRF International Registry for Road Safety Auditors Programme.
Developed by IRF with the support of TotalEnergies Foundation, the International Registry for Road Safety Auditors was established to strengthen the quality and consistency of road safety auditing worldwide. The registry ensures that both road safety auditors and the training programmes that certify them meet internationally recognised standards. It also serves as a reliable resource for governments, contractors and development partners seeking to identify qualified auditors and verify professional credentials.
This initiative addresses a critical need in road infrastructure development: ensuring that road safety audits are conducted by professionals with the knowledge, technical expertise and practical skills required to identify and mitigate road safety risks. By creating an internationally recognised benchmark for auditor qualifications, the registry helps promote greater accountability and improved road safety outcomes across regions.
Now in its third year of implementation, the programme has delivered road safety audit training courses in Tanzania, Uganda and India. Each year, auditors in these countries participate in a structured training pathway designed to build national expertise and strengthen local road safety auditing capacity. Through this sustained multi-year approach, the programme is helping to establish a stronger foundation for safer road design, improved infrastructure planning and more effective road safety management systems.
Participants who successfully complete the written and practical examinations are entered directly into the International Registry for Road Safety Auditors. This formal recognition provides them with a clear pathway toward higher levels of professional qualification as they gain practical experience, while also increasing confidence among employers, public authorities and project stakeholders in the quality of road safety auditing services.
Beyond individual certification, the programme is contributing to long-term institutional capacity in participating countries. By equipping engineers and road safety professionals with internationally benchmarked competencies, IRF is helping national agencies and industry stakeholders improve the quality of road safety assessments and embed safer practices into infrastructure development processes.
Through initiatives such as the International Registry for Road Safety Auditors, IRF and TotalEnergies Foundation are supporting the development of a skilled global network of auditors committed to safer roads. As the programme progresses, this growing community of certified professionals will play an increasingly important role in reducing road risks and improving transport safety outcomes for road users worldwide.
Advancing Safer Roads Through Leadership: What we took away from the IRF Road Safety for Managers Course
Improving road safety outcomes is not just a question of better infrastructure or more data. The constraint is often managerial: how decisions are made, justified and sustained over time.
The recent Road Safety for Managers course delivered by the IRF addressed this gap directly, equipping professionals with the frameworks and tools needed to move from fragmented actions to coherent, system-level safety management.
Delivered by a multidisciplinary faculty including Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos, George Yannis, Marko Ševrović and Craig Milligan, the course focused on the principle that road safety improves when institutions can interpret risk correctly and act on it decisively.
Participants worked through how to translate crash data, exposure metrics, and Safety Performance Indicators into targeted investments and interventions, shifting from reactive responses to anticipatory management. Concepts such as the Safe System Approach and Vision Zero were not treated as abstract policies, but as operational models guiding investment, design and enforcement decisions.
A recurring issue addressed in the training is that identifying high-risk locations is insufficient without structured follow-through. Roads continue to underperform when safety deficiencies are not systematically diagnosed and corrected. The course emphasised methods such as road safety audits, crash analysis and risk diagnostics that account for human behaviour, not just engineering standards. This reframes safety audits from compliance exercises into decision-support tools, where the responsibility ultimately sits with managers to accept, mitigate or justify risk.
Lastly, participants examined evidence-based treatments and evaluation merhods supported by Crash Modification Factors and Cost Benefit Analysis. ,Emerging tools such as video-based conflict analysis, allow earlier identification of risk before crashes happen. This creates a continuous cycle of diagnosis, intervention and monitoring, improving both the speed and accuracy of decision-making.
Taken together, the course demonstrates that road safety performance is shaped less by isolated technical measures and more by the quality of leadership behind them. According to IRF Lead Instructor Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos:
“When managers can connect data, design, and operations within a single framework, safety interventions become more targeted, more defensible, and more durable, delivering sustained benefits for all road users, particularly the most vulnerable”.
The strong engagement confirms continued demand for decision-oriented road safety training. IRF will offer this course again, while continuing to support its members year-round through training, applied research and policy engagement
IRF Leads Workshops for the Development of a Roadmap to Strengthen Road Safety
8 – 10 April | Dakar, Senegal and Nouakchott, Mauritania – The International Road Federation (IRF) was in West Africa for the Safe and Inclusive Road Design in North and West Africa project.
IRF Senior Advisor Brendan Halleman and Project Manager Paul Karst were in Dakar, Senegal and Nouakchott, Mauritania for a series of seminars that convened stakeholders to advance implementation roadmaps based on earlier project recommendations and to build capacity in safer road design.
Funded by the UNRSF – UN Road Safety Fund and the Islamic Development Bank, the Safe and Inclusive Road Design in North and West Africa project is now moving into implementation, with concrete steps underway in Morocco, Senegal and Mauritania. This work is underpinned by applied training on network-level diagnoses, road safety audits, vulnerable road user protection as well as safe work zone practices. In parallel, IRF is overseeing the development of practical handbooks supporting project personnel in making optimal design decisions.
Article originally published by the Agence Mauritanienne d'information
A workshop dedicated to the revision of design references for Safe and Inclusive Roads in Mauritania began on Monday, 6 April, in Nouakchott. Organised by the Ministry of Equipment and Transport, the workshop aimed to develop a roadmap for the development roads in the area.
The workshop is part of the local transport sector's efforts to strengthen road safety and improve the quality of infrastructure in accordance with national guidelines to develop the transport network and facilitate the movement of people and transportation of goods.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Equipment and Transport, M'aizira Mint Kerbally, explained in her speech that the this meeting is in accordance with the high guidelines of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, who made road safety a national priority to protect lives and preserve development of the region. She stressed that the government is working to make this vision a reality by integrating road safety standards at all stages of project planning and execution, ensuring safer and more sustainable infrastructure.
Hon. Kerbally stressed the importance of this workshop as a means to provide practical training in road safety audits, which has become a fundamental pillar of public policy. She added that Mauritania has experienced a significant expansion of its road network in recent years, exceeding 6,000 kilometres, with more than 2000 kilometres still in progress. This is in addition to the launch of major structural projects, including the Nouakchott 2026 transport project, which has helped to modernise urban transport, improve traffic fluidity and strengthen public transport.
She noted that despite these advances, technical assessments have revealed certain shortcomings in international standards, highlighting the importance of continuing efforts, including in establishing an effective system for road safety auditing, considered an essential tool to prevent road accidents before they occur.
She also mentioned that the workshop will organise advanced training sessions for national executives, thus strengthening their skills and providing a solid basis for the development of this vital area, calling on participants to interact positively and exchange experiences, in order to contribute to the development of practical and innovative solutions that meet the specificities of the country.
For his part, the senior advisor to the International Roads Federation (IRF), Brendan Halleman, said that the current phase represents a transition from diagnosis to execution, stressing that the roadmap should be a practical tool for guiding decisions and coordinating efforts, and that its success is measured by the degree of integration of safety standards in road projects over the coming months, from the design phase to execution and audit.
He added that the biggest challenge lies in effective enforcement, calling for clear priorities and effective implementation mechanisms, while reaffirming the commitment of the International Roads Union to support Mauritania through a long-term partnership based on technical assistance and the exchange of experience.
The workshop took place in the presence of several technical executives, experts and actors in the field.
Unlocking Transport Insights: How IRF Data is Driving Smarter, Low-Carbon Mobility
31 March 2026 | Paris, France - International Road Federation (IRF) Research and Data Analyst Aristomenis Kopsacheilis participated in the 12th Statistics Meeting hosted by the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The meeting brought together leading international organisations to exchange updates and explore new initiatives shaping the future of transport data, statistical frameworks and evidence-based policymaking.
At the center of IRF’s contribution was a discussion on how better data can unlock smarter, more sustainable transport systems. Aristomenis Kopsacheilis highlighted the critical role of the IRF’s World Road Statistics (WRS) and its evolving Data Warehouse platform in addressing one of the sector’s biggest challenges: turning fragmented, outdated national datasets into reliable, actionable global insights.
Transforming Data into Policy Intelligence
The IRF’s World Road Statistics, published annually since 1964, represents one of the most comprehensive global repositories of road and transport data. Covering over 200 countries and territories and more than 200 indicators, the WRS compiles information from primary national sources such as ministries, road authorities and statistical offices. Through a rigorous methodology which includes standardised definitions, multi-source validation and reconciliation of units, IRF ensures that the data is both accurate and internationally comparable.
Aristomenis emphasised that this process is not just technical but is foundational to effective policymaking. Without harmoniaed data, governments and institutions struggle to identify trends, measure progress or design targeted interventions.
The Data Warehouse: From Static Reports to Dynamic Insights
Building on the WRS, the IRF’s Data Warehouse introduces a new dimension: interactivity and real-time usability. The platform integrates IRF datasets with additional external sources and presents them through dynamic dashboards, enabling users to visualise patterns across countries and regions instantly.
This transformation from static reporting to interactive analytics allows stakeholders which includes governments, development banks and mobility organisations to:
- Pinpoint where transport-related emissions originate
- Identify persistent data gaps and inconsistencies
- Compare performance across regions
- Evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions over time
By making complex datasets accessible and visually intuitive, the platform empowers decision-makers to move from observation to action more efficiently.
Addressing Emissions and Decarbonisation
A key theme of the presentation was the relationship between transport growth and emissions. Drawing on WRS data, Aristomenis illustrated the “double edge” of road transport dominance: while it supports economic development and connectivity, it also remains a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
The analysis underscored the importance of “decoupling mobility from emissions” - a central objective for achieving sustainable transport systems. Through data-driven insights, the IRF helps stakeholders identify which policy levers offer the greatest long-term impact. These may include infrastructure investment, vehicle efficiency improvements or modal shifts.
The presentation also highlighted a critical barrier: uneven data availability. Significant disparities persist between countries in terms of data quality, coverage and reporting frequency. These gaps can obscure the true scale of challenges and limit the effectiveness of global comparisons.
From Data Gaps to Data Partnerships
To address the challenges presented, IRF is actively fostering partnerships and encouraging greater participation in its data initiatives. By expanding collaboration with national authorities and international organisations, the goal is to improve data completeness, consistency, and timeliness.
Aristomenis highligted that better data is not an end in itself but is a tool for building more resilient, inclusive and decarbonised mobility systems. Reliable statistics enable agencies to detect emerging trends, prioritise investments and design policies that are both targeted and measurable.
Broader Themes from the ITF Meeting
Beyond the IRF presentation, the ITF Statistics Meeting explored several forward-looking themes shaping the future of transport data. These included the role of artificial intelligence in official statistics, innovations in data collection methods and strategies for strengthening the resilience of transport systems in the face of global disruptions.
Together, these discussions reinforced a common message: as transport systems become more complex and interconnected, the need for high-quality, interoperable data becomes ever more critical.
A Data-Driven Path Forward
The IRF’s contribution to the meeting highlighted a clear direction for the sector. By transforming fragmented datasets into coherent, verified, and globally comparable insights, the organization is helping bridge the gap between data and decision-making.
In an era defined by climate urgency and rapid technological change, such efforts are essential. With tools like the World Road Statistics and the Data Warehouse, IRF is not only advancing the quality of transport data—but also enabling the policies and investments needed to build a more sustainable mobility future.
IRF Member Webinar: Evolution of Road Pavement Management
Road agencies worldwide face a persistent challenge: maintaining expanding networks with constrained budgets, ageing assets and growing demand for safe, resilient mobility. Traditional pavement management which are often built around fragmented data sources, legacy standards and labour-intensive processes, can no longer keep pace.
During the recent IRF Members Webinar on the Evolution of Road Pavement Management, experts from XenomatiX and the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) outlined how digital tools, non-contact inspection systems and unified data platforms are reshaping how national and local authorities manage their networks.
Their presentations illustrated a trajectory that covers complexity and limited insight toward accessible, high-resolution and decision-ready intelligence.
The Problem: Ageing networks, inconsistent measurements and fragmented systems
Different countries and authorities still rely on traditional methods like visual surveys, manual measurements, or heavy laser equipment requiring specialist operators. These approaches may produce inconsistent outputs and high operational costs.
Road agencies today must handle massive disconnects between methods, measurement systems, classifications and standards that make it difficult to compare conditions or make reliable investment decisions. Even basic friction and skid resistance data lack global consistency, hindering benchmarking and safety-focused asset planning.
Pavement maintenance is further complicated by resource constraints. Local authorities often lack the budget and expertise for big monitoring to run complex LIDAR or laser systems.
IRF Members’ Interventions: Deploying modern, simplified, and scalable technologies
The webinar highlighted a suite of technologies aimed at resolving these bottlenecks by reducing cost, simplifying workflows, and improving safety for operators.
1. Non-contact, solid-state road scanning systems
XenomatiX presented vehicle-mounted solid-state sensors capable of simultaneous rutting, roughness and texture evaluation. These systems allow agencies to obtain continuous, high-density pavement data without lane closures or heavy equipment. Importantly, they integrate friction measurements, although data consistency remains a challenge globally, offering a path toward universal composability for safety indicators.
2. On-board and smartphone-based roughness monitoring
XenomatiX Vice President of Sales and BD Kris De Meester described the use of accelerometer-based systems that enable “an easier, simpler ways to measure things,” particularly for smaller authorities lacking capital-intensive tools. Smartphone-enabled IRI estimation offers a low-barrier entry point to structured pavement monitoring, allowing rural and small municipal networks to build datasets for the first time.
3. Automated digital twins and integrated platforms
NTRO Chief Technology Officer Russell Gallagher emphasised the value of digital twins for pavement asset management. These unified models allow agencies to centralise condition data, geometry, traffic, environmental records and maintenance history - providing the basis for predictive modelling and optimisation.
Digital twins also help agencies manage ageing infrastructure by combining “existing data sets into a single source of truth” and enabling prioritisation based on real risk profiles rather than subjective assessments.
4. State-of-the-art processes for lifespan prediction and treatment optimisation
Both Kris and Russel demonstrated new workflows in which texture, roughness and structural indicators feed directly into treatment selection algorithms. This reduces guesswork and aligns interventions with lifecycle cost efficiency. Using higher-frequency and non-contact measurements allows earlier detection of deterioration, shifting agencies from reactive to preventative management.
The Change: Faster, safer, more reliable decision-making
Modernisation is not just about better data, it is about operational efficiency and risk reduction. Here are some points that highlight the importance of new technology, simplified systems and state-of-the-art processes:
Time savings: Automated surveys and simplified systems cut data collection time and enable more frequent monitoring cycles, which improves the accuracy of deterioration modelling.
Safety improvements: Non-contact and drive-over systems eliminate the need for workers on the carriageway, reducing exposure to traffic.
Data confidence: Higher-precision, repeatable measurements allow evidence-based treatment selection and cost-effective maintenance programming.
Better integration: Seamless merging of friction, roughness, texture and deflection data enhances network-wide performance analysis.
These advancements enable authorities to identify emerging issues earlier, allocate budgets more strategically and defend decisions using quantifiable evidence.
Who Benefits—and Why This Improvement Endures
National Road Authorities
Large networks gain from unified digital platforms that standardise measurements across regions. This ensures comparability, streamlines procurement and enables long-term programming based on real lifecycle costs rather than political or reactive drivers.
Local Authorities
The shift to “simplified systems” directly benefits local governments, which often lack specialist staff. Affordable, user-friendly tools allow them to build reliable baselines for the first time, strengthening their ability to apply for funding, target interventions and communicate needs to policymakers.
Road Users and Communities
More efficient maintenance reduces disruptions, improves ride quality, and enhances safety, particularly where skid resistance and surface texture are better monitored. The result is a higher-performing road network that supports economic activity and community wellbeing.
Why it lasts
These technologies reduce dependence on specialised operators, making processes more resilient. Open data formats and integrated digital twins embed long-term value, allowing future upgrades without losing historical records. As one speaker underscored, sustainable pavement management requires “looking at things holistically” and linking every dataset to a coherent operational picture—future-proofing decision-making for decades to come.
The IRF Members Webinar underscored a turning point in pavement management. New sensing technology, simplified survey methods and state-of-the-art digital processes are enabling authorities of all sizes to maintain their networks more efficiently, safely and strategically.
By modernising data collection and integrating systems into unified platforms, national and local authorities gain the tools they need to deliver longer-lasting pavements, optimise budgets and improve mobility outcomes for communities. As IRF continues convening global experts and showcasing member innovations, these approaches will support more reliable, resilient and sustainable road networks worldwide.
If you you want a copy of the presentations, contact us at membership@irfofficial.org.
