Friday, February 9th, 2024
ALICE, the European Technology Platform for logistics and supply chain management, participated in the 7th edition of the Conference on Results from Road Transport Research (RTR Conference) which took place in Brussels on 5-7 February 2024. This yearly conference serves as a platform to present the results of EU-funded projects in the field of road transport.
The RTR Conference 2024 was a hybrid event combining both physical and virtual participation. With around 600 participants, it is a major conference bringing together industry leaders, researchers and experts in the field of road transport.
Over three days and 29 sessions, attendees had the opportunity to delve into key areas for the future of road transport and gain insights into the results of EU-funded projects and their expected impact, as well as future research directions in these areas. The presented projects covered a wide range of topics including Battery Electric and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, Urban Logistics, Digitalization of Logistics, Intermodal Networks Management, Automated Road Transport and Infrastructure.
ALICE was actively involved in the RTR Conference 2024. Their secretariat team members contributed to various aspects of the event. In particular, Fernando Liesa, ALICE Secretary General, together with Paola Chiarini from DG MOVE, moderated a session on “Digitalisation of logistics” on 5 February.
The session on “Digitalisation of logistics” explored several projects, including:
Discussions during this session focused on innovative logistics concepts, the dimensioning of heavy goods vehicle charging infrastructure at EU level and future policy recommendations, all in line with the Sustainable and Intelligent Mobility Strategy.
These projects address relevant challenges and support essential policy objectives. They aim to provide integrated solutions by combining technologies, innovative business models, and stakeholder interactions. A key focus of the discussions was data sharing and digital ecosystems, highlighting the different perspectives on data sharing within the logistics community linking to the eFTI regulation and the Mobility Data Spaces.
Moreover, on 5 February, ALICE member CARA kindly invited Marion Cottet, ALICE Project Manager, to attend the FAMN Afterwork networking event. The FAMN, or French Automotive & Mobility Network, serves as a platform for the four French mobility clusters (CARA, ID4CAR, NextMove, Pôle Véhicule du Futur) to voice the interests of their members at the EU level. The event offered attendees a chance to connect and network with fellow industry professionals in a relaxed and social atmosphere.
The RTR Conference also featured a dynamic exhibition area where participants had the opportunity to explore cutting-edge innovations and technologies. Within this area, visitors could discover, among others, the BOOSTLOG and ENTRANCE projects, in which ALICE is actively involved. BOOSTLOG increased the impact of research and innovation on integrated freight transport and logistics systems, focusing on efficiency and sustainability. ENTRANCE created a European matchmaking platform for innovative transport and mobility tools and services, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between key industry players.
A sincere thank you to all the stakeholders who generously shared their research and innovation results during the RTR Conference, and to all the enthusiastic participants who contributed to the conference’s dynamic atmosphere through lively discussions and interactions. The ALICE team looks forward to continued cooperation and knowledge exchange in the pursuit of sustainable and efficient road transport solutions.
