In what framework did you collaborate with IFSTTAR?

In September 2017, the Ministry of Transport launched the Assises de la mobilité, a National Mobility Consultation. The aim was to provide input for the draft Mobility Policy Act (LOM) which will be put before the Cabinet in the first half of 2018, and which will lay down the government's transport strategy over the next ten years. In both Salon-de-Provence and the Paris region, IFSTTAR researchers made an active contribution to the Mobility Consultation. They participated in themed round tables and workshops dedicated to innovation for cleaner, more supportive and more connected mobility. On this occasion, they engaged in discussions not only with other researchers but also with elected representatives, business and start-up leaders, representatives of associations and trade unions, and users.

“ Innovation is essential for the future of mobility ”

What future mobility issues were discussed during the Mobility Consultation?

JM Zulezi: We need to be able to offer our fellow citizens transportation and infrastructure that is more efficient and safer, while optimizing land-use planning and the protection of our regions. For my part, I am convinced that the solutions to these challenges will come more from innovation than from the construction of new infrastructure. Even more encouragement must be given carpooling, autonomous vehicles, car-sharing and intermodality, as well as active modes such as cycling. At the end of the Mobility Consultation, on December 13, 2017, I officially submitted my report detailing thirty-five concrete proposals to this effect to the Minister of Transport. These included, for example, the creation of a "Mobility and Innovation" platform open to all public and private stakeholders, and the opening-up and exploitation of data to facilitate traffic flow and carpooling, while respecting the rights of users. These proposals should all contribute to creating a flexible legal and regulatory framework that fosters future technological developments.

What struck you about IFSTTAR’s contribution to this consultation?

JM Zulezi:IFSTTAR's contribution was valuable in several respects. Thanks to their expertise, its researchers approach problems pragmatically, from a scientific perspective and on the basis of their field experience. The ideas and solutions they propose are central to innovation. I am thinking in particular of their research on smart cities and embedded sensor networks, capable of identifying the overloaded vehicles that cause the most damage to roads. We can also mention the modulation of tolls according to vehicle occupancy rates, or the creation of special car-pool lanes. On the whole, IFSTTAR recommends that the public authorities should strengthen and expedite their involvement in the governance and planning of transport, so that innovative mobility solutions can be included in transport and travel plans as of now.