No longer does transport operate in ‘silos’ – but it’s all linked with the big four themes of the future:

• Data
• Energy
• Congestion
• Disruptors

The push for clean air across the world means that not only are technologies for alternatives to pure diesel and petrol being developed more rapidly than ever, but it’s finally recognised that this is just one piece of a larger jigsaw.

Where our energy comes from, how it is distributed and made available is no longer a single subject, but links to everything from local and transport planning, to vehicle manufacture and use.

Congestion wastes time, creates the need for more road space and above all else costs the economy money; whether in the extra emissions created, lost time or more vehicles needed for public transport and goods.

Joining all this together is data. Vehicles have a wealth of data about themselves, while automatic transport planning, thanks to traffic data and other inputs means that this is one of the biggest drivers of new technologies, to get the best outcomes from the data generated.

Disruptors can take many forms, from new firms and ways of working – such as in the taxi market – to the growth of online shopping and its impact on transport, to data and system security. Something’s that is new and changes the way things work is a disruptor, but despite the negative connotations of the word, it can also be a force for good.

The annual ITT Hub event at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, Hampshire, UK – connects all these themes, across all road-based modes.

With a high-level conference and exhibition, it will bring all these aspects together under one roof.

ITT Hub.NET is a 365-days-a-year channel that will share news, insight and opinion as the permanent glue for the sector, throughout the year.